Times of Tunbridge Wells 5th July 2017

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

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CRICKETING HERO: ACCIDENT VICTIM REUNITES WITH SAVIOUR Page 62

Corn Exchange set to rediscover its old purpose

By Adam Hignett COMPANIES in Tunbridge Wells could see a slight reversal in the ongoing decline of available office space after detailed plans were submitted to turn The Pantiles Corn Exchange into a business centre last week.

The application submitted by consultants Kember Loudon Williams on behalf of site owners the Nevill Estate Company – ultimately owned by the Marquess of Abergavenny – is the latest in a string of initiatives aimed at reviving the Corn Exchange.

Having lain largely empty for the past couple of years, the early 19th century building had steadily declined since the tourist attraction A Day At The Wells closed in 2004.

Considerable Planning consent was given to allow a Curzon Cinema to be operated within the building in 2015, but ultimately came to nothing.

In a detailed statement accompanying the application, Kember Loudon Williams cite the loss of a ‘considerable number’ of offices within the town to residential conversion, to support their case.

In addition, no work will be undertaken on the exterior of the building and the Tourist Information Centre will be retained at the front of the building.

Continued on page 2

RUSSELL WATSON SPEAKS TO THE TIMES BEFORE HIS HUGE SUMMER CONCERT Page 50

BENENDEN HEAD TALKS STRONG LEADERSHIP Page 17

ALL THE SIGNS LOOKING GOOD FOR TOWN’S ECONOMY Page 6

INSIDE Food bank issues an urgent

call to feed town’s children

Protesters take to the streets in aid of baby Charlie Page 5

STOCKING UP (LtoR) Mark Lavenstein, Lesley Darcy, Daniel Johnson, Dawn Stanford, Marianne MacDonald

By Murray Jones

murray@timesoftonbridge.co.uk HUNDREDS of children in Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge could go hungry this summer as parents struggle to afford enough food.

Nourish Community Foodbank, who work in both towns, have warned that in the months of July and August they anticipate a sharp rise in the number of children needing a food parcel.

Last year they saw a 57 per cent increase during that period, compared to the preceding two months.

In total, 203 individual children were referred to the charity by third parties who were in need of a three-day emergency food bag during July and August. This equated to more than 1,800 meals provided to children who were at risk of going hungry.

The latest statistics show that Nourish supplied 3,141 people over a year, a 34 per cent increase on the previous total.

It comes at the same time that recent figures from the Office of National Statistics show that the weekly earnings in both Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge are higher than the national average and on almost all economic measures the two boroughs compare favourably to the national picture.

However this on-paper affluence appears to mask hundreds of families who are struggling so much financially that they need Nourish to step in.

The foodbank’s Co-Chair, Paul Haines, said: “Despite the overall wealth of the town there are pockets of deprivation.

“We always stress that it could be someone who works in your street who has an incident or an accident that pushes them over the edge.”

Nourish provide short-term emergency support for individuals and families that

CHARLIE’S ARMY

TO RUN OR TO DYE?

Hundreds take part in colourful charity challenge Page 4

STEP BACK IN TIME Veterans are honoured at Rusthall Lodge Page 8

are referred to them by various groups such as housing associations, local schools and domestic violence support groups.

‘Despite the overall wealth of the town there are pockets of deprivation’ On the subject of the summer spike in demand, he said: “In term-time, many children benefit enormously from the support schools provide through their breakfast clubs, in addition to free school meals.

“However, many families struggle with the increased financial cost of feeding children during the summer holidays. At Nourish, not only have we seen a rise in referrals at this time, but this also coincides with a

dip in donations due to so many people being away on holiday.”

Since 2014, a child in the first three years of primary school is entitled to a free school lunch. Others, whose parents receive financial support from the state, can also receive free school meals.

With another expected surge this summer holidays, Nourish are asking residents to donate non-perishable food items for families struggling to put food on the table.

Nationally, foodbanks are a relatively recent phenomenon. In 2010-11 the Trussell Trust, Britain’s biggest foodbank network, gave out 61,500 food parcels, but by 2016-17 this had risen to almost 1.2 million.  To find out how you can support Nourish, visit: www.nourishcommunityfoodbank.org. uk or call 01892 548892

AFTERNOON TEA

One Warwick Park serves up tradition with a twist Page 48

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Local News

Centre will rejuvenate the Lower Pantiles Continued from page 1 A total of 17 business suites are proposed, ranging in size from small two-desk units, through to the largest open plan office suite of 22 desks. Many of them will be available on flexible lease arrangements.

Shared meeting and event spaces, a lounge and café facilities will also form part of the offer.

The total floor area of the proposed business centre, including galleria space, amounts to 760 square metres with plans for round the clock access.

“The new business centre is to create a light, exciting, dynamic, interesting and, above all, flexible working environment that can respond to the ever-changing needs of the business market, both locally and further afield,” the document states, adding: “It is hoped that the new centre will, once again, place the Exchange at the commercial heart of The Pantiles.”

Jo James, Chief Executive of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, said she ‘welcomed’ the proposal, adding: “Over recent years towns such as Tunbridge Wells have seen large swathes of commercial property converted to residential use, which makes it hard for firms to stay and grow in their local area.

“Having more people working in The Pantiles will help sustain more of those local businesses who are dependent upon visitors throughout the rest of the year.”

Back your borough lottery THE first draw of the borough lottery will be held on Saturday, giving players a chance to win £25,000 while helping almost 50 charities in the local area.

For every £1 ticket bought, 60p will go towards good causes. Players can also choose which of the 47 organisations currently registered on the TW Lotto website will receive the majority of this donation.

The diverse range of organisations which could benefit include The Royal Tunbridge Wells Scouts, Rusthall Community Cinema

and the Community Car Service.

As the Times went to press, around 240 tickets had been purchased.

Tickets for the weekly Saturday draw cost £1.

Players will then select a six-digit combination from numbers between 1 and 9.

Winning tickets must match the exact order of the numbers and, unlike the national lottery, the numbers can be repeated more than once.

For more information and to buy a ticket visit www. twlotto.co.uk

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Wednesday July 5 | 2017

Round of applause as golf day raises £60k for autism school CUSTOMERS of one of the Tunbridge Wells’ most prestigious establishments hit the fairway last week, raising £60,000 to help fund the education of children with autism.

The clients of G. Collins & Sons, the Queen’s jeweller situated on the High Street, took part in the fundraiser at Dale Hill Golf Club near Ticehurst.

The proceeds from the event, which included a prize draw, went to the Quest School in Paddock Wood.

One member of staff at the independent specialist school – registered to take pupils from age 5-19 years, across the autistic spectrum – said they were ‘in shock’ at the generosity of those who participated in the golf day.

Event organiser Zoe Collins was ‘delighted’ by the positive reception the fundraiser received from her clients, with available spaces running out straight away.

“We were unsure how many of our clients play golf and unbelievably the first 70 people all said yes,” she said.

Raffle prizes included an overnight stay and golf at Loch Lomond, a box at Newmarket Racecourse for the day and a week’s golfing holiday in Portugal.

Carly Templeman, Administration Manager at the Quest School, said: “We are a small, independent school, which relies heavily on

PAR EXCELLENCE Representatives of the Quest School charitable donations to be able to give our students a specialist learning environment, which is designed around the specific needs of pupils with autism.

“We are so thankful to have been taken to heart by the Collins family and we are so proud and humbled to have been the chosen charity for their Golf Day. “The amount which has been raised is outstanding and we are in shock at the generosity of the Collins family and all of those who came

along to support us. The impact that a donation of this amount will have for our students is so significant and we cannot begin to put into words how grateful we are to everyone involved.”

The Quest school was founded in 2003 by a group of parents and Applied Behavioural Analysis professionals, seeking to create a specialist learning environment, designed around the specific needs of pupils with autism. It is based at the Hop Farm near Paddock Wood.

Pledge to hold new health provider to account

By Adam Hignett adam@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk YOUNG people and those with eating disorders within West Kent are set to benefit from the launch of new services from September as part of a joined-up approach that will ‘make a real difference’, medical experts have announced.

As a result of services which were previously being provided by a range of different clinical groups now being amalgamated within the west of the county, people suffering from eating disorders will no longer have to change care provider when they turn 18.

In addition, there will now be just one phone number for the eating disorders service in Kent and specialist assistance will be available earlier – when the first signs of illness are showing.

The new approach has become possible because contracts for a new all-age eating disorders service in the county and an

innovative children and young people’s mental health service in Kent have been awarded to the same organisation: North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT).

All the Kent services provided by NELFT will be based locally with additional financial and social care support provided by Kent County Council (KCC).

A real difference Andrew Ireland, Corporate Director for social care at county hall, said KCC was responding to a ‘real call for action’ for the authority to secure a ‘comprehensive emotional wellbeing offer’.

Dr David Chesover, Clinical Lead for mental health in West Kent, said the new services will have many benefits.

“We believe the new services will make a real difference, improving care and people’s chances of making a full recovery.”

Children and young people in Kent under the

age of 18 with emotional or mental health issues will also benefit from a single phone number and website dedicated to their needs.

It will provide advice or a referral to anyone who calls – whether children and young people themselves, GPs, parents, relatives or friends.

Those overseeing the new service say there will also be better urgent and emergency care, minimising the need for children or young people in distress to spend time in A&E. Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark, who has campaigned for improved mental health services for young people, said given the ‘chequered history’ of local provision he was not prepared to endorse the new provider: “Until I see for myself substantial and sustained improvements. I have asked to meet with the Chief Executive of NELFT as soon as possible to ensure that they know I will be keeping a very close eye on them and that I will not hesitate to take action if they do not deliver the expected improvements.”

FOODBANKS: WE’VE GOT USED TO THEM QUICKLY ON PAPER, the existence of a foodbank in Tunbridge Wells seems absurd. We are, according to stereotype (and recent statistics, see p6), the poster child for Middle England affluence.

But, of course, residents of this town know this view is simplistic.

Every area has people who are struggling financially, those who have fallen on hard times – and Tunbridge Wells is no exception.

Rather than solely a necessity for the homeless or the displaced we now have people with fulltime jobs relying on food donations to prevent their children going hungry.

Foodbanks insist they only wish to provide emergency relief, for people referred to them by social workers. But around a third of the people they help are, unfortunately, repeat ‘customers’.

Why is this so? One explanation could be the

past decade of wage stagnation. The Institute for Fiscal Studies predicts that Britons will earn no more by 2021 than they did in 2008, as the workforce endures the worst period for pay in at least 70 years – a painful hangover from the 2008 financial crash.

As inflation increases and budgets are pinched, some 16 million people that currently have savings of less than £100 will be even likelier to need assistance in a few years’ time.

There have always been those in need; those going hungry. Overall, we’ve made great strides through the years to combat this, so there is no need for hunger-hyperbole. In the UK, you are much more likely to be in hospital because of over-eating than malnutrition.

At the same time this does not mean we should be complacent and pretend that the job

is done. The rise of the foodbanks shows how many people are living on the breadline and how one small change to their situation can ‘push them over the edge’ as Nourish’s Paul Haines puts it.

Political solutions range from the reasonable to the radical, but the one thing we can at least attempt some consensus on is an acknowledgement of the problem and a determination to make things better.

But politics is a long and perennially frustrating process; so while you pressure your representative to make the change you want to see (whatever that may be) I urge you to donate and volunteer because that is simply the most effective way you can make a difference.

Murray Jones, Junior Reporter

Local News

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

NEWS IN BRIEF

A vicious snub? Sid is denied a plaque ONE of the most notorious people to have lived in Tunbridge Wells will not be commemorated with a red plaque the Civic Society have decided.

Sid Vicious, attended the former Sandown Court School, now Skinners’ Kent Academy, while he lived in the town between 1965 and 1971.

Although the Sex Pistols bassist, who died in 1979 age 21, was initially considered due to being a ‘world renowned’ figure it was decided he did not have a good enough connection with the town.

Alastair Tod, the editor of the Society’s Writing on the Wall booklet, said there was ‘no moral or musical judgement intended’ by the decision.

Moore-Bick criticised THE former Skinners’ pupil leading the inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire has faced calls from two Labour MPs for him to step down after they raised concerns about his ability to have ‘empathy’ with the victims.

MP for Kensington, Emma Dent Coad and shadow fire minister, Chris Williamson, made the criticism of Sir Martin MooreBick’s appointment yesterday.

The retired appeal court judge initially said the remit of the inquiry would be too narrow to satisfy the former residents but the government has suggested its scope will be broadened.

Community recognition THE St George’s Community Children’s Project has made the final of the Nursery World Awards 2017 in recognition of their subsidised childcare places scheme.

The Nursery World Awards is organised each year by Nursery World magazine and celebrates the best of UK childcare and early years education.

Situated on Chilston Rd, the nursery has been shortlisted in the Community Support category.

The charity runs the only nursery in Tunbridge Wells which provides childcare at a low cost or free of charge to local families in need.

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MP wins cross party praise in call for Brexit realism during debate

By Adam Hignett adam@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk TOM Tugendhat has called for measures to ensure key industries will still be able to employ people from overseas once Britain leaves the EU and warned some of his more zealous colleagues that Brexit ‘isn’t paradise’.

The Tonbridge MP made the remarks during a House of Commons debate on the economy and jobs last week and said the country must be prepared to accept it may not get the deal it wants by the end of the process.

‘We cannot guarantee that at the end of 18 months we will get a deal’ Describing Britain’s exit from the EU after more than 40 years as ‘an opportunity’ that ‘the people voted for’, he said: “We must be honest with our people that the complexity and uncertainty that we are facing today is likely to continue for a little bit longer.

“We must be absolutely honest when we talk about things like the seasonal agricultural workers scheme as a solution.

“The reality is we need one for the NHS, we need one for tourism, we need a solution for any number of different engineering and educational places so that we make sure that we do not pay for

Brexit with a falling economy. I know many peo- hat’s speech saying he was ‘tempted to say that I ple who voted to leave will also agree that open- will adopt all of it and then sit down.’ ness is necessary.”

Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark, the Secretary of The MP also appealed to his colleagues not to State for Business used the debate to criticise build up expectations which cannot be met or be Labour’s tax and spending plans, by citing the bound by dogmatic beliefs.

Institute for Fiscal Studies who said the opposiConcluding his speech, Mr Tugendhat, who came tion would increase taxes to their ‘highest ever out in favour of remain in the last few weeks of the peacetime level’. campaign – in contrast to his constituency which He added: “I am not sure that Labour Members voted to leave by a margin of over ten percentage realise what their party has become. And do not points – added: “We cannot guarantee that at the let us pretend that those taxes would be paid by end of 18 months we will get a deal, we cannot some distant multinational rather than by ordiguarantee that our negotiating partners will agree nary working people. to the terms that we’re asking for.

“As any economist will tell you, all taxes on “We must be honest, because if we are not, companies have to be paid by workers, by we cannot expect those who create jobs, consumers and by pensioners, through who make wealth in our society, who lower wages, higher prices and less valuainvest, who employ, who grow companies ble investments meaning lower pensions.

- we cannot expect them to take decisions.

“This is not a choice of prosperity for the “I ask that we look at Brexit as a reality, not many or the few; it is a choice of prosperity as an ideology. Too often sometimes I felt for no one. myself back in a theology lecture hall “During this Parliament, Oppohearing about the way to Heaven… sition Members, who hid but Brexit isn’t paradise.” behind the supposed uneMr Tugendhat (pictured right) lectability of their leader, can was followed by the Labour MP for hide no longer. Are they East Ham, Stephen Timsm who going to stay silent while said he agreed with the Tonbridge the leadership of their MP that Brexit is not paradise. party advocates an Bob Neill, Conservative repreapproach that they all TONBRIDGE MP sentative of Bromley and Chisleknow perfectly well would Tom Tugendhat hurst, also praised Mr Tugendbe ruinous?”

Ban on new grammars confirmed but annexe loophole remains proposed lifting of a ban on new grammar schools was dropped from the Queen’s Speech last week.

Plans to reintroduce a new era of selective education had proved divisive with 33 of the county’s headteachers writing to Ms Greening in December and warning of the ‘philosophical and systemic flaws’ in the policy.

Divisive THE Education Secretary has revealed that one of the Conservatives’ recent flagship policies will no longer be pursued by the new minority government.

Justine Greening confirmed the reversal after the

Despite this, a lifting of the ban formed a key part of the Conservatives’ recent manifesto. But with a wafer-thin working majority in parliament, the reform is now considered too divisive for the Tories.

Anti-grammar campaigners, Comprehensive

Future, argue that new selective schools can still easily be set up by building ‘annexes’ to current schools in neighbouring towns. In Sevenoaks, the annexe to the Weald of Kent Grammar School in Tonbridge will open in September.

The group argue that the only difference between this and a standalone grammar school is that Sevenoaks pupils will be bussed the ten-mile journey to the original school one day per fortnight.

Melissa Benn of Comprehensive Future said they were ‘thrilled by the news’ adding: “However, we worry that annexe grammar school expansions will permit a slow but steady expansion of selection by other means. We know many schools have already explored using this shady route to avoid the law.”

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Local News NEWS IN BRIEF

Man sentenced for racial harassment A BUSINESSMAN has been jailed for four months after racially abusing a woman from Tunbridge Wells whilst in Brighton.

Christopher Gargan, 55, of Malthouse Lane, Hurstpierpoint, was sentenced at Brighton Crown Court on Friday (June 23).

He was found guilty of causing racially aggravated alarm and harassment and distress to the 24-year-old, who was eight months pregnant, during the incident in April last year. In sentencing, Judge Anthony Niblett said the words he hurled at the young woman of Jamaican background were ‘totally abhorrent’.

Cut-through closure COMMUTERS hoping to cut out the congestion along Pembury Road by squeezing their way along the narrow Cornford Lane will be forced to endure the gridlock most people face after its closure for three weeks.

The popular rat run between Pembury High Street and Hall’s Hole Road closed on Monday and will not reopen until July 21 as it undergoes maintenance.

Landscape awards A TUNBRIDGE WELLS based landscaping company was recognised with a Silver Merit Award at the BBC Gardeners’ World Live.

Despite it being their first show garden, Artemis Landscapes won the accolade for their ‘Living in Sync’ design that was all about wildlife, sustainability and recycling.

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

Charity event shows its true caring colours MORE than 4,000 people took part in this year’s colourful Run or Dye event at Penshurst Place in order to raise money to help combat childhood cancer on Sunday (July 2).

Participants were showered with safe, ecofriendly, plant-based cornstarch dye of multiple colours as they ran, walked or danced around the 5km course set within the grounds of the 14th century residence.

Those wishing for an even tougher challenge were given the option of a 10km course and out of the 4,000 participants, 1,500 were first-timers.

The fundraising event was in aid of the KISS IT BETTER appeal, a charity set up by former Vogue Beauty Editor Carmel Allen in association with Clinique when her daughter Jospehine, now 15, fell ill as a baby.

In 2016 Run or Dye raised £25,000 for the same RUN OR DYE TRYING Participants at the event in Penhsurst on Sunday

charity and organisers hope to raise the same amount this year.

After they crossed the finish line, runners and their supporters celebrated their achievement with the world’s most colourful party, the famous Dye Festival with MC’s Gina and Hollie making sure the celebrations kept going. A series of ‘dye games’ were also hosted for the runners and spectators.

Commenting on how funds raised will help, KISS IT BETTER founder Ms Allen said: “One child in six hundred will suffer from childhood cancer, and the outcomes aren’t always great for children with solid mass tumours.

“My daughter Josephine was diagnosed with a Neuroblastoma when she was nine months old and she is here today as testament to the fact that clinical research changes outcomes and every penny from KISS IT BETTER goes to help clinical research for cancers in children.”

Run a mile and win a cash prize THE inaugural Mason Mile will be held at Dunorlan Park on Sunday July 16. The new charitable venture which is the brainchild of local businessman Stephen Mason (pictured above), is open to all, especially families, and has been launched with the intention of targeting obesity and assisting with mental health and personal responsibility.

Nationwide Runners will complete a mile-long course around the lake from 10am. They will receive one of three different-coloured wristbands, depending on their finishing time – black under 8mins, lime and black 8 to 10mins or plain lime over 10 minutes.

In addition, under-16s will receive a cash prize of £2 for under 8mins and £1 for 8 to 10min. A number of local secondary schools are taking part including Skinners’, St Gregory’s, Bennett Memorial and TWGGS. This event is the first of a nationwide programme; the second run will be in Tonbridge in September.

Registration is free, visit www.eventbrite.co.uk before race day and search for the Mason Mile.

Local News

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

Protest group express solidarity with Charlie

By Adam Hignett adam@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk TUNBRIDGE WELLS families were protesting the decision taken by various courts to allow medical staff to remove the critically ill baby Charlie Gard from life support, on Monday [July 3].

Six adults, along with four children, held placards and chanted outside of the BBC Radio Kent offices opposite the station on a day in which Donald Trump offered to help the parents of the little boy who was born with mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome.

‘No family should have to go through what they are going through’ Leading the protest was Rusthall resident Tara McCarville, 28, who had come with her partner and her own son, on his first birthday.

“No family should have to go through what they are going through,” the mother of four said.

“I believe everyone has a right to life.

Obviously the NHS do not want to see him suffer, but the parents have raised money to get him treatment in the US and they should be given the chance to save him.

“At the very least they should be allowed to take him home.”

Charlie’s parents Chris Gard and

CHARLIE’S ARMY: Hundreds of groups like this have been protesting around the country Connie Yates have been in a protracted legal battle to allow ten-month-old Charlie to be taken to the United States for experimental treatment in the US. The disease he suffers from causes progressive muscle weakness and brain damage. It has no known cure, but some treatments have been shown to reduce symptoms.

His parents, who are in their 30s, launched a fundraising appeal to help pay for doctors’ bills in the US, with 1.3million currently raised. One Tunbridge Wells resident, Helen Barnes, donated £40,000 to the fund in April, after being ‘moved to tears’ by the little boy’s plight.

Last week the European Court of Human Rights upheld rulings made by the UK’s Supreme Court that were in favour of Great Ormond Street that prevent Charlie being taken out of the country. Medical staff at the famous children’s hospital have argued Charlie would suffer significant harm if his life was prolonged without realistic prospect of an improvement.

On Monday Mr Trump said he would be ‘delighted’ to help Charlie while a White House spokesman said the administration had been in contact with his parents.

It is understood an American hospital has offered to treat Charlie free of charge.

Club buyout is still on course for Targetfollow Jonathan Banks THE future of the Tunbridge Wells Golf Club remains uncertain 18 months after the Manor of Rusthall made its first moves to acquire the course, it can be revealed.

Covering an area of 35-acres behind the Spa Hotel, the nine-hole course is situated at the crossover point between the Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall Commons, both of which are owned by property group Targetfollow through its Manor of Rusthall title.

Intentions In November 2015, the Times reported on the company buying an option in the club thought to be worth £50,000.

At the time it was believed that this entitled them to make a bid to buy out the remaining stake in the Langton Road club from its roughly 100 shareholder members within a 12 month period. If they pulled out of the bid, it was understood the option money would be forfeited.

It is believed the overall price tag for the course could be £1.75million.

At the time, club chairman Steve Grogan described the situation as ‘up in the air’ but added: “They’ve made an offer to buy an option to buy the club. If they do decide to buy it, part of the deal will be that the club can lease it back for a couple of years, although unfortunately we’ve got no idea after that.”

However, it has since been confirmed that the situation has not been resolved either way and that Targetfollow have until the very end of the year to finalise a deal. It is not known if this extension has come about through buying another option. Mr Grogan said: “Targetfollow still have the option to purchase the club, this option expires on December 31 2017.

Before the end of the year we expect to hear from them what their intentions are.”

When the option was first acquired by Targetfollow, neighbours and club members questioned why the company had not bought the site outright. Concerns have been raised over whether they would be able to use the purchase to deregister parts of the commons for commercial use.

Targetfollow were approached for comment but had not responded at the time of going to press.

Council goes online to promote new theatre PLANS for the new civic complex and theatre have been uploaded to a dedicated website in order to offer additional transparency on the contentious project.

It presents the Borough Council’s case for investing £72m as part of a ‘concerted effort to boost the economy, support local businesses and attract more visitors.’

The proposed development is on the site of the current car parks at Great Hall and Mount Pleasant Avenue, and on the edge of Calverley Grounds.

Cllr David Jukes, Leader of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, noted there was ‘considerable debate and speculation over the plans’, adding: “We hope this will reassure residents that we have no aspiration to concrete over Calverley Grounds or run the risk of the Grade 2 listed Town Hall and Assembly Hall Theatre site turning into a grot spot.”

To view the site visit www.TWciviccentre.co.uk

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BUSINESS

Local Business News

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

Tonbridge tops its neighbour town for pay… but Tunbridge Wells is the smarter economy The local economies of Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge rank above the national average, and most closely resemble parts of Hampshire, a new economic report has revealed KENT

The Kent Economic Indicators 2017 report found the county’s nearest economic counterpart to be Warrington – a unitary authority situated between Manchester and Liverpool and centred on the town of the same name.

Kent ranks above the national average for workplace and resident earnings, employment rate, the education of its workforce and the number of employees in the Knowledge Economy. Fewer people are also claiming benefits than in most regional authorities across England.

But the picture is less bright in other areas.

The survey found the county has seen below average growth in the number of businesses based here and even then, only 59 per cent of them are expected to survive the first three years. Its workers are also relatively unproductive compared to other parts of England.

As a general rule, the further east one travels in Kent, the more the local economies reflect those found in the Midlands and the North.

TUNBRIDGE WELLS

On a borough level, the dossier identifies Tunbridge Wells’ economic next of kin as the Test Valley local authority in Hampshire – an idyllic rural borough centred on the town of Andover, sur-

rounded by areas of outstanding natural beauty, popular for river fishing and ranking among the top ten in England for it population’s participation in sport.

Economically, Tunbridge Wells maintains a reputation as a good place to live and work, with the report noting it ‘ranks above the national average in all indicators with the exception of employment rate’ (not to be confused with unemployment).

It ranks in the top ten per cent of districts for businesses increasing their headcount, with Tunbridge Wells companies expanding their workforce by 26 per cent over the past five years and also for the number of employees working in ‘the knowledge economy’ (35.7 per cent).

The ‘knowledge economy’ is defined by the office for national statistics as: “A group of specific sectors within the economy that are knowledge intensive in their activity, that deal extensively with information and whose business is all about the distribution or exchange of the information that they hold.”

The report itself adds this sector ‘has been identified as a key sector to drive future economic growth.’

Helping to ensure the knowledge economy keeps growing in the borough is the fact almost 50 per cent of the population aged 16-64 have some form of degree, or equivalent, and higher (NVQ4+). Nationally the

Local Business News

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

figure is around 40 per cent.

Unemployment has remained at a low of 0.7 per cent for two years, but earnings have either stagnated or fallen.

Median weekly earnings for those working within the borough have crept up from £517.9 in 2016 to £524.0. However, this is still a long way off their peak in the last five years of £607.0 in 2014.

People living in the borough but who may be working elsewhere have seen their average weekly pay fall sharply from £640.3 two years ago to £551.7 today. Nationally the average is £502.

Tunbridge Wells

2016

2017

16-64 claiming out of work benefits (%) Unemployment Rate (%) Median Gross Weekly Workplace Earnings (£) Median Gross Weekly Resident Earnings (£) 5 year % change in employees 3-year Business Survival Rate (%) Employees in the Knowledge Economy (%) NVQ4+ (%)

5.5 0.7

5.2 0.7

517.9

524.0

562.1 25.8 62.4

51.7 26.4 63.4

32.9 44.5

35.7 49.4

Tonbridge & Malling

2016

2017

16-64 claiming out of work benefits (%) Unemployment Rate (%) Median Gross Weekly Workplace Earnings (£) Median Gross Weekly Resident Earnings (£) 5 year % change in employees 3-year Business Survival Rate (%) Employees in the Knowledge Economy (%) NVQ4+ (%)

5.8 1

5.4 0.9

517.1

550.8

636.2 655.1 1.6 2.5 63.6 60.6 19.1 36.2

19.9 34.9

TONBRIDGE & MALLING

The area with the closest economic profile to Tonbridge & Malling is Eastleigh in Hampshire – well known as the parliamentary constituency once represented by the disgraced former Liberal Democrat MP Chris Huhne. It was once the home of Mr Kipling bakery and boasts the headquarters of B&Q. The report notes Tonbridge & Malling has ‘performed well’ in a number of indicators when compared over the last five years, stating it ranks within the top 25 per cent of authorities in the following indicators: out of work benefit claimants, workplace and resident earnings and productivity.

However, there are areas where it now ‘ranks lower’ compared to other authorities. Reflecting Kent as a whole, the business survival rate is flagged as an area of underperformance, as just 60.6 per cent of firms make it through the first three years.

In stark contrast to its southern neighbour, the borough’s businesses have only expanded their payrolls by 2.5 per cent over the last half a decade. Furthermore, just 35 per cent of the working-age population have the equivalent of a degree, down from a peak of 43 per cent in 2015.

But this does not seem to have dented the population’s earning potential.

Median weekly earnings for those working within Tonbridge & Malling are £550 – higher than at any point in the last five years.

Those living in the borough but who may be working elsewhere, such as London, have fared even better, and are doing considerably better than their counterparts in Tunbridge Wells.

Median weekly earnings for this group are £655 – up from just £446 in 2014.

Unemployment stands at just under one per cent but of those employed, only 20 per cent are in ‘the knowledge economy’.

BUSINESS

THE PAY GAP ANALYSIS – TN RECRUITS AND OFFICE ANGELS COMMENT: Neil Simmons Managing Director of the recruitment firm TN Recruits, whose company focuses on the West Kent area, speculated that numerous factors could explain the difference in earnings between the two boroughs.

He said: “Firstly, thinking of it as Tunbridge Wells vs Tonbridge is slightly misleading. Tonbridge & Malling takes into account Kings Hill where a vast number of national and international companies have a presence; Rolex, Balfour Beatty, Kimberly Clark to name a few, in addition there is also Fidelity in Hildenborough. In Tunbridge Wells there is only AXA as an international organisation.

“The larger organisations will often have a different pay structure which is nationalised and not always specific to the area it is based in, but may be more aligned to compete with London salaries.

“When you look at Tunbridge Wells aside from AXA, there are very few companies which have over 100 or even over 50 staff. Most of them are independently owned and only in this area.”

However, Mr Simmons said he was ‘really surprised’ that pay has decreased over that time for resident earnings in Tunbridge Wells and this was not reflected among his client base who have been increasing their staff pay.

He added: “A key factor is that there is definitely a shortage of experienced and skilled workers across all sectors as the economy is generally very good, in my opinion.

Stagnating “This is reflective of high numbers of employment and low numbers of unemployed. All of this leads to more vacancies which means that employers are having to take on more junior staff on lower salaries and are then investing time and money into training.”

Kate Garbett, Senior Operations Manager, at recruitment firm Office Angels in Tunbridge Wells said the figures of stagnating pay in Tunbridge Wells correlate their own observations of the jobs market in recent years.

She said: “From our own research we have seen that wages have not risen much over the years. That coupled with a lot more flexible working and zero hours contracts means that while unemployment is at its lowest – what classes as employed will not necessarily be full time and that will push the average earnings down.”

THE WAGE CONUNDRUM Neil Simmons

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Local News

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

Veterans honoured on Armed Forces Day FOUR nonagenarians in Rusthall were recognised for their contributions to HM Armed Forces last weekend.

For the third year running, residents at Rusthall Lodge – a not-for-profit standalone home – received enamelled pin badges at an Armed Forces Day celebration on Saturday June 24.

With representation from the Royal British Legion, an extensive display of Royal Air Force memorabilia, military vehicles and musical entertainment provided by the Take 3 trio and The Haywood Sisters, a nostalgic afternoon was enjoyed by all those in attendance.

Rusthall Lodge General Manager Hilary Taylor said: “We are truly honoured to have had the opportunity to organise and host this event again this year.

“It remains a small gesture on our part when you consider the huge contribution all our residents have made.”

Nostalgic

THE GOOD OLD DAYS The Haywood Sisters roll back the decades

Among those recognised were Mrs A Breacher, 92, Mr D Cowley, 94, and Mr G Williams, 91, who each received a ‘veterans’ pin badge.

Resident Mr R Bailey, 94, who had been in a reserved occupation in the Second World War but had still contributed to defences with the Home Guard, was presented with his Defence Medal by Tunbridge Wells Mayor Julia Soyke.

New Tree of Hope offices help charity to branch out

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE: (l-r) Tree of Hope CEO Gill Gibb, Mayor Dalton and Deputy Mayor Bates A NEW location and a renovated office are set to be the springboard for further growth for a local charity.

Tree of Hope, which supports families in raising funds for treatments that are not available on the NHS, had its new offices officially opened last Wednesday [June 28] by Tonbridge Mayor Roger Dalton and Deputy Mayor Pam Bates.

The new premises in Salford House, Quarry Hill Road, Tonbridge, include a newly decorated meeting room that was transformed by members of staff

from Marks & Spencer Tunbridge Wells to make it more bright and welcoming for visiting families.

Their £900 donation also contributed towards a flat screen TV to be installed, which will enable the small charity team to communicate via video calls with people they work with around the country.

Currently, Tree of Hope is helping around 1,000 families to fundraise for life-changing operations and therapies. The charity assists people in setting up their own campaigns.

One of those is six-year-old Louis, from Crowborough. Louis experienced issues in the womb, with his mother Jody needing to spend a long time in hospital during the pregnancy.

He required five in utero blood transfusions, and was born seven weeks premature. At five days old, an MRI scan revealed he had suffered severe brain damage, and by the age of four he was given a diagnosis of quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

This means Louis cannot sit up, walk or talk and has problems eating and drinking, meaning he needs to be fed via a special device.

Tree of Hope worked with his family to establish the ‘Louis Loves Life’ campaign, which enabled them to raise the funds for home adaptions that allow him to get around the house.

CELEBRATION To mark Armed Forces Day

Pupils learn to be ‘doctors in an hour’ THE Emergency Department at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Pembury has welcomed 11 students from Oakley School in Tunbridge Wells for a special ‘become a doctor in an hour’ session.

The pupils, aged eight to ten, joined Dr Matt Milner and Matron Stella Davey for the session, which included bandaging and plastering.

Dr Milner said: “The aim of it was to let them see the department first-hand and meet some of our staff, so they feel more at ease should they ever have to make a visit to A&E, as a patient.”

Oakley caters for children with learning difficulties, and teacher Caroline Fish said: “The children had an amazing time, the hospital staff were fantastic and were not fazed in the slightest

by our overly-enthusiastic, and therefore quite loud pupils. We could not thank them enough.”

PATCHED UP An Oakley student helping out in A&E

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NEWS

Countywide

NEWS IN BRIEF

Number of smokers down 25 per cent TEN years on from the introduction of the smoking ban, the number of people lighting up in Kent has dropped by 25 per cent, a new report has revealed.

Prior to the ban, which made it illegal to smoke in most enclosed public places, over one in five people smoked, but this has now fallen by a quarter to 15 per cent.

The steady decline in smoking from 2012 also sees a rapid increase in e-cigarette use from 700,000 to nearly three million in 2017.

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

Pressure mounts on Wildlife Trust over chairman connected to hunts appointment has been condemned after it was discovered he had been joint master of the Blean Beagles – a hare-hunting group he was a member of from 1971 until 2005.

It was also disclosed that the property entrepreneur has allowed a pheasant shoot to take place on wooded land he has owned near his Ashford home for the last decade.

PETITION’S PREY Former blood sports participant Michael Bax

KCC autism support IT HAS been announced that Kent County Council [KCC] will be launching its strategy to support adults with autism on July 11, as part of a wider central government drive.

In 2010, the government set out a requirement for all local authorities to outline specific future commitments and priorities as described in the National Autism Strategy.

It is believed approximately 13,000 people in Kent are living with autism, but it is estimated half of them are likely to be overlooked as they do not have any accompanying learning disabilities. The new strategy aims to address these individuals.

Coast campus to close A KENT university has decided to axe its Broadstairs campus after winning approval to expand their main campus with an £11million art centre.

From 2018, Canterbury Christ Church University will not send any new students to the coastal campus.

Concern

A PETITION seeking to remove the Chairman of Kent Wildlife Trust has hit 4,500 signatures since its launch on June 17, following an outcry over

his past connections to hunting.

Michael Bax, a former High Sheriff of Kent, took up the role at the beginning of April 2014, but recently the

The revelation has incensed some paying members of the Kent Wildlife Trust, who say his association with blood sports is at odds with his chairmanship.

Member Tom Fitton, who set up the petition on the Care2 petitions website, said: “We pay our fees to provide sanctuaries for wildlife from hunters, yet they are being given top positions in the trust.

“Bax does not represent the views

of Kent Wildlife Trust’s membership, who pay their membership fees to protect wildlife, not slaughter it for pleasure.”

The Trust itself has twice put out statements in defence of its chairman, but has acknowledged the ‘considerable concern’ expressed by many people.

It says Mr Bax, himself a member of the Trust for three decades, has a ‘deep interest in wildlife matters’ and manages his own farm with wildlife foremost in mind.

Furthermore, it argues the Trust ‘maintains a neutral position on field sports’, stating this is ‘fundamental to what we do’.

The Trust added: “We hope that our long-held neutral position on field sports will allow many people, who might not always come together, to unite under the common cause of working to stabilise nature, which is currently in crisis.”

Counties combine to gain Tory blames shock defeat greater transport funding on Labour student ‘bung’ LOCAL authorities across the South East are combining their resources in order to secure greater infrastructure investment for the region.

The leaders of Kent County Council [KCC] have joined their counterparts from Medway, Berkshire, Brighton and Hove, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, Southampton, Surrey, East Sussex and West Sussex to form Transport for the South East [TfSE].

In addition, the new body will have input from rail franchises, Highways England and commuter groups.

The new organisation plans to have full government backing and statutory powers within two years.

Opinion has been split on the initiative within KCC, with some councillors seeing it as acting as a good counterweight to London’s infrastructure demands, while others fear the added bureaucracy and question why Essex is not taking part.

Keith Glazier, Leader of East Sussex County Council, has been elected as Chairman of the new organisation.

FORMER Canterbury MP Sir Julian Brazier has spoken out about losing the seat he had represented for 30 years in the General Election.

In an interview reported by Kent News, the Conservative admitted the result took him by surprise after his 10,000 majority was wiped out.

In a shock result, he was beaten in the university city by Labour’s Rosie Duffield by just 187 votes.

Sir Julian believes it was the surge in the student vote which ultimately won it for his opponent.

“I think the big thing was they were offering to pay off loans, not just stop fees,” he said. “And that attracted a lot of naive young people who have not had to balance a budget before in their lives, and

believed in the magic money tree.

“The central pitch was this absolutely gigantic sum of money and it seems to have worked – it’s a huge, huge bung.

“It’s difficult to think of a seat with a big concentration of students we [the Conservatives] still hold.”

OUT Sir Julian Brazier

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NEWS

National News

NEWS IN BRIEF

Court for expenses MP and Hawkhurst agent CRAIG MACKINLAY, the Conservative MP for South Thanet, has appeared in court facing charges over his 2015 general election expenses along with his Campaign Agent Nathan Gray, of Hawkhurst.

Mr Mackinlay, 50, and Mr Gray, 28, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court with Campaigns Director Marion Little.

Last month, Mr Mackinlay held on to the Kent seat with an increased majority of 6,387, just one week after it was announced he would be prosecuted.

All three defendants indicated not guilty pleas when the charges were read to them.

No free vote on hunting A FREE vote on the repeal of fox hunting restrictions has been shelved despite making it a manifesto pledge this year.

Environment Minister Therese Coffey said the Tory minority administration is not planning to bring forward a vote in this session, suggesting it will be at least two years before the idea is even considered.

EU nationals not fleeing HEALTH Secretary Jeremy Hunt was forced to deny that he had received warnings of EU nationals ‘fleeing the UK’ if the country opts for a hard Brexit, after the phrase was spotted on a briefing note which he carried into 10 Downing Street.

The document was exposed to press photographers by Mr Hunt as he arrived for a meeting of Cabinet.

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

One in four young pupils falls short in SATs exam

Free school lunches will continue after another Tory U-turn

ALMOST 40 per cent of primary school pupils in England failed to meet the Government’s expected standard in reading, writing and maths, national SATs tests results have shown.

Figures released by the Department for Education showed 61 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in 2017, up from 53 per cent in 2016.

This means 39 per cent failed to reach the expected standard across all three subjects of reading, writing and maths this year.

More than half a million 11-year-olds across England took national curriculum tests, known as SATs, in May, with the results used in annual school league tables.

PLANS to stop free lunches for infant school children from better-off families in England have been abandoned.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb said the government would ‘retain the existing provision’, having listened ‘very carefully’ to the views of parents.

The Tory manifesto proposed restricting free lunches to infants from poorer homes – with free breakfasts for all primary school pupils instead.

It was intended to save £650m a year, but the policy was left out of the Queen’s Speech.

Free school lunches for all infant children were introduced by the coalition government in 2014.

‘Comparisons with last year are inevitable, but also unwise’ The figures show an improvement on last year in all areas: 71 per cent of pupils met the expected standard in reading, compared with 66 per cent last year; 75 per cent of pupils met the expected standard in maths, compared with 70 per cent last year.

The expected standard in grammar, punctuation and spelling was met by 77 per cent of pupils, compared with 73 per cent last year, and 76 per cent of pupils met the expected standard in writing, compared with 74 per cent last year.

To reach the expected standard in all of reading, writing and maths, a pupil must achieve a scaled score of 100 or more in reading and maths tests and a teacher assessment of ‘reaching the expected standard’ or ‘working at a greater depth’ in writing.

SATs tests have long proved controversial, with teaching unions arguing that they put too much

TESTING TIMES SATs remain controversial pressure on children, and the results are not a reliable measure of how schools are performing.

Last year, pupils sat tougher papers based on a new national curriculum. The year before, under the old system, 80 per cent achieved Level 4 – the old level expected of the age group – or above in these core subjects.

Russell Hobby, General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said the results must be taken with a ‘pinch of salt’.

He added: “Comparisons with last year are inevitable but they are also unwise, as last year’s results were unexpectedly low and pupils were being assessed at a time when the curriculum and assessment methods had changed significantly.

“This year, students and schools are more familiar with the new-style tests. Teachers will have had a better idea about what to expect and have been better placed to prepare children.”

Nutritious Plans to limit their availability again to lowincome families had proved controversial, with some parents complaining the offer of a free breakfast was not directly comparable and was merely a cost-saving measure.

Many schools were also unhappy about the move, arguing they had gone to great expense to adapt their facilities to provide hot lunches.

During the campaign, the Conservatives argued that free breakfasts would have equal, if not greater, nutritional benefit for pupils and could be delivered at the fraction of the cost of lunches.

But Mr Gibb has confirmed the government had changed its mind. “Universal infant free school meals ensure children receive a nutritious meal during the day,” he said.

“It saves hardworking families hundreds of pounds a year and it boosts educational achievement, especially among children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds.”

National News

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

RMT’s plan to end Southern deadlock ONE of the unions embroiled in a long-running dispute over driver-only trains at Southern is to put forward a proposal to break the deadlock.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are meeting MPs today [July 5] to explain its plan for a six-month trial of an ‘accessibility guarantee’, which would mean all services affected by the row would have a driver and an on-board supervisor.

Disabled, elderly and vulnerable passengers would be provided with guaranteed assistance from on-board staff on all services, without the need to book in advance.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “We would hope that they would agree to this sensible proposal as the Association of Train Operating Companies consultant’s report has said train companies should guarantee a second person to comply with their legal obligations.”

RMT members on Southern will stage a fresh strike on July 10, while the drivers’ union Aslef is banning overtime.

Three NHS Trusts fail cladding tests BUILDINGS at three NHS trusts in England have failed fire safety tests in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster, NHS Improvement has said.

Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is taking steps to remove cladding from one of its buildings. North Middlesex University Hospitals NHS Trust and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust have also failed the tests on one building each and will remove the cladding.

None of the three buildings is used for inpatient accommodation.

Boy ‘locked alone in cell for 23 and a half hours a day’ wins appeal in High Court A TEENAGE boy who brought a High Court challenge over his ‘prolonged solitary confinement’ in detention has won a ruling that his human rights were breached.

The 16-year-old was granted a declaration by a judge that his Article 8 rights – the right to private and family life – were breached at Feltham Young Offender Institution in west London.

At a hearing in April, the judge was told the boy, whose behaviour is described as ‘challenging’, remained in conditions amounting to solitary confinement for ‘almost the entirety of his time’ at Feltham after being detained in December last year.

LOCKED UP The 16-year-old’s rights were breached

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SPORT IN BRIEF

Doubt over Cavendish’s Tour after crash injury MARK CAVENDISH’S Tour de France could be over after he was taken to hospital with his right arm in a sling having crashed in a chaotic finish to stage four in Vittel.

World champion Peter Sagan was disqualified after Cavendish accused the Slovak of elbowing him and causing him to crash. He finished the stage after receiving medical treatment for several minutes and then went for an X-ray.

Welshman Geraint Thomas kept his overall lead despite also crashing earlier on the stage from Mondorf-les-Bains. He recovered quickly to retain the yellow jersey.

Edmund victory at last BRITAIN’S Kyle Edmund finally won a match at Wimbledon at the fifth time of asking.

The 22-year-old world No 50, who has been a first-round loser four times in both singles and doubles, won the battle of the Brits against Alex Ward.

The British No 2 won 4-6 6-3 6-2 6-1 against his friend, who is ranked 869th.

‘Interference with his rights was not in accordance with the law’ His QC said that for ‘much of the time’, the teenager was locked alone in his cell for about 23 and a half hours a day.

The judge was told by counsel for the Justice Secretary that although it was accepted there had been ‘procedural errors’ in the boy’s case, which were regretted, those errors ‘should not be conflated with a finding that the substantive regime to which the claimant has been subjected was unlawful’.

Mr Justice Ouseley rejected a claim that the boy’s treatment amounted to a breach of human rights laws which prohibit torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

He announced that young offender institution

NEWS

rules on both ‘removal from association’ – which relates to being kept in a cell and not allowed to mix with others – and education were breached.

He said: “I shall make a declaration that Article 8 was breached because the interference with his rights was not in accordance with the law.”

The judicial review action was brought on behalf of the child, who is described as having ‘significant’ mental health problems and cannot be named for legal reasons, by the Howard League for Penal Reform.

Medical for Lacazette FRANCE striker Alexandre Lacazette has undergone a medical at Arsenal and is expected to complete his club-record move from Lyon today (July 5).

Arsene Wenger is believed to have tabled a club record transfer fee of £44million for the 26-year-old.

Lacazette has scored 20 goals in France’s Ligue 1 for the last three seasons.

14

BUSINESS

National Business News

Subway will open 500 more stores SUBWAY plans to serve up 5,000 new jobs by 2020 in a major expansion across the UK and Ireland.

The fast food chain said it will roll out another 500 stores within the next three years, bolstering its footprint to 3,000 restaurants.

Peter Dowding, Country Director for the UK and Ireland, said: “The growth expansion has been continual. What we have achieved over the last few years has been phenomenal for the brand and for our franchisees across the UK and Ireland.

Subway’s UK and Ireland turnover reached £515million in 2016. The firm plans to open 150 stores by the end of this year.

Mr Dowding said Subway’s UK operation has been going through a ‘massive brand transformation’, with plans to kick-start a new online ordering platform in 12 months’ time.

Average deposit reaches £60,000 HOME buyers across the South-East are putting down deposits of almost £90,000, according to conveyancing service My Home Move.

The average deposit of £87,641 is the second highest after London (£123,347). Across England and Wales it is £59,633 for the first three months of 2017, up from £52,783 for the same period in 2016.

Doug Crawford, Chief Executive of My Home Move, said: “For many, this amount will have been funded from the equity increase in the home they are selling.

“However, for first-time buyers and those whose homes haven’t increased in value as quickly as the one they want to purchase, the need for additional funding suddenly becomes very real.”

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

New look Sainsbury’s celebrates sales hike SAINSBURY’S has hailed its best supermarket sales ‘for a number of years’ thanks to a revamp of its ranges and deals on popular summer food such as British strawberries.

The supermarket giant said like-for-like retail sales – including the recently bought Argos chain – rose 2.3 per cent in its first quarter as it launched 430 new or improved food products, including 250 summer lines.

Sales were boosted by rising inflation, as well as the later timing of Easter and Mother’s Day, but the group said it also rung up a 1.9 per cent rise in the number of transactions at its tills.

The sales hike came as a marked bounce back on the 0.3 per cent growth seen the previous quarter as Sainsbury’s cheered a rebound in total grocery sales, which leapt 3 per cent higher.

Competitive This offset a slowdown in general merchandise sales including Argos to 1 per cent from 1.5 per cent the previous quarter amid an overhaul after last year’s £1.4billion takeover of Home Retail Group.

Mike Coupe, Chief Executive of Sainsbury’s, said it was the group’s ‘best performance for a number of years’. He said the firm had worked hard with suppliers to keep a lid on prices for summer staples such as strawberries and Jersey Royal potatoes.

He added: “The market is competitive and we continue to manage cost price pressures closely.”

But he refused to comment on reports that ­Sainsbury’s is now looking to buy Nisa, the network of more than 2,500 independently owned convenience stores, in a deal believed to be worth

close to £130million. It is understood Sainsbury’s also met with senior executives from convenience chain McColl’s, which is supplied by Nisa, as it attempts to seal the deal in a response to Tesco’s £3.7billion merger with wholesaler Booker.

The group put its grocery sales bounce-back down to its food overhaul, which saw it review 32 ranges covering 17 per cent of grocery lines.

Its own-brand lines have also proved popular as inflation ramps up, with the Brexit-hit pound sending prices of imported food and goods soaring.

Clothing sales increased by 7.2 per cent in the 16 weeks to July 1 while it also saw another robust performance online, with sales up 8 per cent for groceries and 10 per cent for Argos. Convenience store sales also rose by 10 per cent.

The food sales rebound comes as a welcome boost to Sainsbury’s, which warned in May over pressures from falling consumer confidence.

BEARING FRUIT Strawberry sales have boosted Sainsbury’s

WORLD IN BRIEF

North Korea’s missile frightens superpowers RUSSIA and China have proposed that North Korea declares a moratorium on nuclear and missile tests while the United States and South Korea simultaneously refrain from large-scale military exercises.

The call was issued in a joint statement after talks between President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

The statement came after North Korea tested a missile that flew higher and longer than previous ones, sparking concerns around the world.

‘Totally ridiculous’ MEPs THE EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has insisted the European Parliament ‘is not serious’ after large numbers failed to show up for a keynote debate.

Speaking to the few dozen of the 700-plus MEPs who turned up to discuss the Maltese presidency of the EU over the past year, Mr Juncker denounced the parliament as ‘ridiculous, totally ridiculous’.

Gay man in court victory A MAN in central China has successfully sued a mental hospital over the use of forced conversion therapy.

Activists hailed it as the first such victory in a country where the LGBT rights movement is gradually emerging from the fringes.

He was forcibly admitted to the institution in 2015 by his wife and diagnosed with ‘sexual preference disorder’. He was forced to take medicine and undergo injections.

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NEWS

Letters

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

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 at 16 Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1NU

THE POLITICAL STAGE Jeremy Corbyn at Glastonbury

Corbyn popping up at Glastonbury is what politics should all be about A lot has been made of [Labour Leader] Mr Corbyn’s appearance at Glastonbury Festival, with a lot of bitter uproar from the right that it was somehow a cynical move which sought to politicise a popular music event.

There are two things to address here. One is the notion that Glastonbury and musical performers in general should not be political at all – they should just entertain and leave

politics out of it. Glastonbury has always been, and always will be, a political event – its main partners are Greenpeace, Oxfam and Water Aid, for goodness sake, and it has previously aligned itself to the CND. Around the festival, political art plasters the walls and stages.

There are tents dedicated to political debate and alternative thinking. So this notion that it was apolitical before Corbyn came along is bunk.

Secondly, the reactions show the depressing direction that politics has gone down in the last couple of decades – that seeing a politician actually addressing a large crowd of people is unusual and suspect.

This is what politics is all about, because if you believe in something you should at the very least have the confidence to say it in front of 150,000 tipsy people on a Saturday afternoon.

Olivia Coombes Via email

Business rate relief money is farcical

Let’s hope Town Centre Manager succeeds

THE amount of money the borough council has been given [Times issue dated June 28] to help relieve those companies struggling under the burden of ludicrously high business rates is the equivalent of offering a sticking plaster to someone who has lost a limb.

Many businesses in the area have seen their rates double. There are 4,000 businesses, allegedly, which means that if the £269,000 available was evenly distributed, each company would get £67.25 Of course, this won’t be the case, but let us say 10 per cent of them are entitled. £672.50 is about half a basic shop floor salary for the month, or even less, as there are also the ‘living wage’ hikes.

Of course, no business is going to turn the money down, but it is a laughably tokenistic gesture from the government. It will also be a nightmare for the council to come up with the right criteria, as to make the rebates meaningful you are looking at probably focusing on the top five per cent of worst hit firms. But others who have seen hikes may justifiably think this is unfair.

As per usual, the government ducked the opportunity to reform one of the worst parts of the tax code, and pushed ahead with a terrible revaluation that could result in many bricks and mortar businesses in the South East going bust.

And the fact the relief available for Tunbridge Wells firms in a couple of years’ time is just £8,000 shows how farcical it really is.

John Pembroke Via email

Your story [June 28] on the new Tunbridge Wells Together Manager Karen Pengelly was interesting to read, as I hadn’t realised that this kind of role actually existed.

It is good to know that there is a real person in charge of sorting out the current and future retail issues in this town, and given the fact she is already on Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark’s case about the importance of keeping our town centre busy, and not letting it become a series of empty retail units that have lost out to the online market, is encouraging to learn.

Thank you for publishing this story, and for letting readers know that there is actually a human being in charge of looking after the best interests of our town, and not some faceless committee based elsewhere in the country making poor decisions on a place they are not passionate about.

Let’s hope the next thing Ms Pengelly pushes through is the rental price of retail units being dropped, as currently it seems impossible for independents to get a footing in the main commercial part of the town.

Gandys seems to be about the only one, and this doesn’t seem right in a place with so much independent and creative spirit.

Stephanie Bolton Via email

Well done for putting things right How refreshing to see a newspaper that is

prepared to admit it can sometimes get things wrong [June 28].

You incorrectly identified the West Kent Keralites who took part in the Tonbridge carnival, although the mistake did, it seems, come about because of wrong information given to you by a third party.

Even so you had the good grace to clarify the matter. Well done the Times.

Brenda Hodges Via email Ed: The group – which won first prize for the best procession at the carnival – represents the community from Kerala in Southern India.

Democracy appears to mean nothing The fact that more than 6,400 people chose not to vote for [MP] Greg Clark in the General Election only proves that, sadly, democracy appears to mean nothing now.

The 48 per cent that did not want Brexit certainly cannot be described as silent, and obviously do not believe in democracy (unless of course it goes their way).

Greg Clark quite clearly can do the maths: 100 - 48 = 52, so why should he back his constituents when they lost by 4 per cent?

This is totally immaterial anyway, as the referendum was not a constituency vote – although if you care to research the result you will see that had it been so, Remain would have lost by a far bigger margin.

I seriously doubt they would have been silent even then.

Amanda Wood Via email

Is local MP set to become the next PM? Greg Clark must be one of the hardest-working MPs at Westminster if his surgeries are anything to go by, yet he continues to attract much opprobrium in your letters [David Sharp, June 21] and one must wonder why?

Is it that he has ducked and dived over Europe; is it because he is steadfastly mute on the subject: Even his recently elected neighbour, Tom Tugendhat [Tonbridge & Malling], is more outspoken than Mr Clark ever was.

Is it – as Mr Sharp suggests – that he is a mere toady to the Tory elite? He does not seem to enjoy that inner circle status.

Is it that he is keeping his powder dry; not rocking the boat; or is it that he is a mean poker player?

With the inner circle a collection of chancers and opportunists – Marmite to the public – are we witnessing the emergence of a safe, but very boring, pair of hands as the next Prime Minister?

John Ward Moorhouse Via email

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

Calverley

Observations on life and more important things

WORKING for Google must be a dream job – if you like that sort of thing. Himself only mentions it because he had occasion to pop into one of their offices the other day.

People who work there don’t say ‘Hello’, they chant ‘Happy Google Day’. And if you’d like a glass of water out of the machine there’s a choice of four – with things Iike water with lime or strawberry tasting.

No wonder there are 100 applicants for every job vacancy.

ANOTHER sign of the changing world in which we live surfaced when a fellow hack spoke to the Chair of the West Kent Sunday Football League, Stuart Turner.

He was bemoaning the death of grassroots soccer, with youngsters often not turning up for matches, and explained: “It’s too easy now to come home the worse for wear on a Saturday night or early Sunday and all they have to do is send a text [on their mobile] and they don’t even have to talk to anyone about not being available for the team.”

What a sorry state of affairs on more than one front; too much booze and not enough commitment. Mind you, Himself can’t talk (see the following tale…)

SO CONFUSING Dividing trains

TRAVELLING back from a long, unhealthy lunch in town, Calverley became even more confused with the news on the tannoy that the train would divide. The front four coaches would continue to Tunbridge Wells while the back four would disappear somewhere else.

Calverley was in carriage six out of eight according to the annoying message board over the door. But which way do they count? Is it one to four from the front of the train or do they count from the back? Where does that leave carriage six?

Eventually, a kindly lady ushered Himself on to the platform and into the correct carriage.

He still has no idea about how they count.

Chin, chin readers

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

EDUCATION Times

Education

NEWS

17

WITH THE

Taking on the leadership challenge In the latest of her series of regular columns for pupils and parents in the Times, Benenden School Headmistress Samantha Price discusses the importance of responsibility in the educational arena THE concept of leadership is a fascinating one, and particularly at the moment as the UK comes to terms with the political landscape after the General Election.

This election centred firmly on the basis of leadership. More so than at any other I can recall, this one hinged on who we collectively judged to be the best leader, at a time of considerable national and global change and instability (indeed, the Conservatives’ ‘strong and stable’ mantra will be an indelible memory from the past couple of months).

The outcome was very clearly a comment by the electorate on leadership, as ultimately it resulted in the country’s leader being significantly weakened.

Closer to home, in common with many schools at the moment, we are deciding who will be next year’s prefects and Head Girl. While these positions are hardly on a par with that of Prime Minister, they do come with their considerable share of responsibility. Such leadership roles are not for everybody: Some people crave the extra expectations and the accompanying demands, while others prefer not to put their head above the parapet, at this point in time at least. Of course, there is no

‘Some people crave the extra expectations… while others prefer not to put their head above the parapet’ right or wrong approach, as we are all different.

However, it is almost impossible to navigate life without taking on some degree of responsibility, whether it be in your chosen career, through parenthood, organising a social event, fulfilling mortgage commitments or a myriad of other examples.

Like most schools, we have prefects, subject ambassadors and a whole host of other opportunities for the girls to experience positions of responsibility and to take the lead. There are Heads of House, girls who oversee fellow students in the event of a fire alarm, student committees that scrutinise, among other things, the school food, uniform or equality and diversity… the list goes on.

The need for all these roles is twofold. One, we are a busy 24/7 school and as an organisation we rely on collaborating with the girls to assist us in its smooth operation. The second reason is that we recognise the educational value of young people gaining experience through roles such as these.

We see it as part of our duty to educate girls so that they are prepared for the modern world, and in the modern world they will invariably, at some stage, face the need to take tough decisions, to lead other people, to address a roomful of people and face a host of other challenges that they can experience in positions at school that require some form of leadership.

Not every young person will have designs on becoming the next Prime Minister, but young people

should leave school having experienced what it means to cope with responsibility, and be equipped to handle a leadership position if they wish to pursue one.

We also encourage girls here to participate in and appreciate the democratic process beyond school, so it is important to give pupils a flavour of what this is about at school.

For example, at Benenden all pupils vote for the prefects along with the staff – and the pupil and staff voices carry equal weight. We had a 100 per cent turnout this year so the pupil leaders at Benenden will enjoy something their CREATING Parliamentary LEADERS OF counterparts can THE FUTURE only dream of: A Samantha Price strong mandate!

18

NEWS

Weekly Comment

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

Peter Lidstone

Tunbridge Wells councillor

The youngest member of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, aged 32, Peter Lidstone is a Liberal Democrat councillor and was the only candidate to successfully dislodge a Conservative opponent at the last local elections. With a full-time job as part of the charity Build Africa, the former law student of the University of the West of England is also fluent in French. His interest in politics came after attending a conference on the subject at Christian Aid about why Christians should get involved.

Democracy across the country and locally is being rejuvenated WE LIVE in interesting times.

This is my first column since the General election, with a result few expected. In Tunbridge Wells, the Lib Dems saw both an increase in our vote share, and our party membership.

Nationally, Labour ran a smart campaign, promising an entirely unachievable range of policies, sweeping up the young vote and, crucially, staying quiet on Brexit. Corbyn cracking the whip, forcing labour MPs to abstain on remaining in the single market shows their true colours.

Nationwide the Lib Dems were expecting a better result, and it’s clear we have a lot of work to do to regain ground lost since 2010.

What is encouraging at least is that most people are talking about politics - and specifically the young, who were criticised for failing to show up last June.

How long May’s fragile coalition lasts remains to be seen.

Closer to home, things are no less heated and

ALL CHANGE Lib Dem leader Tim Farron is stepping down contentious. We have had success fighting the Conservatives’ attempt to move to passive CCTV coverage. And next month two petitions will be heard at our full council, which promise

some lively debate.

Both petitions have gained over 1,000 signatures, and been presented to the council for debate; one is on the scale of development in our town, and the other on the impact the proposed new town hall and theatre will have on Calverley Grounds.

The fact these issues have garnered such support means they are important to the residents of Tunbridge Wells, and I welcome the open debate that will follow. The full council meeting at 6:30pm on July 26th is open to the public, and I would encourage anyone interested to attend.

I wrote about the scale of development in our town in April, including the associated issues of traffic congestion and demand on already stretched public services.

The plans for a new civic Complex, offices and theatre have generated strong responses, both on whether the development will enhance or tarnish a park that really characterises Tunbridge Wells, and on the cost of the development.

‘We have had success fighting the Conservatives’ attempt to move to passive CCTV coverage’ It’s not wholly accurate to view the cost as a full £72m, because the council would save around £10m needed to renovate the existing town hall. That said, we need to be real with residents about the costs. Promising not to raise council tax is only half the story. The development is not cost neutral, and services will need to be sacrificed to pay for the new facilities. In these times of austerity and stretched finances we need to be sure that we have the support of ratepayers to use their funds in this way.

In truly democratic fashion, I invite you to come and engage with your local Councillors on July 26.

DU PER MP PRO ns A ST ALL conditio s& ON to term

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PROPERTY

To suit your budget

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

Your at-a-glance guide to

MEADOW VIEW SOUTHBOROUGH GUIDE PRICE £975,000

UNDER £250,000 NORMAN ROAD, TUNBRIDGE WELLS

£215,000

Offered as top of the chain, and near the centre of town, this one-bedroom maisonette has the unusual benefit of a large terrace. The property is accessed via a private staircase opening on to a central lounge area, which in turn opens on to a

contemporary kitchen. The double bedroom has plenty of space for wardrobes and storage. There is also a modern shower room. The private terrace is a combination of decking and stone chippings and provides plenty of room for entertaining.

CONTACT Wood & Pilcher 01892 511211 www.woodandpilcher.co.uk

UNDER £350,000 WAVENEY ROAD, TONBRIDGE

£275,000-£300,000 GUIDE PRICE This terraced house requires updating, so provides a good opportunity for a project. The accommodation includes a kitchen/ breakfast room, living room and a spacious hallway with rear lobby and

storeroom. The kitchen/breakfast room has a range of units and space and plumbing for a washing machine and dishwasher. The first floor has three bedrooms and a bathroom with double-glazed windows, and there are both front and rear gardens.

CONTACT Bracketts 01732 350503 www.bracketts.co.uk

To suit your budget

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

PROPERTY

21

great properties by price range…

UNDER £450,000 BISHOPS OAK RIDE, TONBRIDGE GUIDE PRICE

£400,000-£425,000 This semi-detached house at the north end of town has been extended to provide an extra reception room or guest bedroom. The sitting room has doors to the terrace and the dining room has laminated flooring with a door leading into the new room. The kitchen boasts two ovens and a sixburner gas range. Upstairs, there are three bedrooms and a bathroom. The garden has decking, a patio and a shed.

There is off-road parking for two cars.

CONTACT Bracketts 01732 350503 www.bracketts.co.uk

UNDER £600,000 HIGHAM LANE, TONBRIDGE

£535,000

Part of the Roselands Development, close to the Woodlands Primary School, this extended semi-detached property has a large kitchen/breakfast room with scope to redesign. There is also a sitting room with bay window, family room, dining room, and a downstairs cloakroom with a shower cubicle. The first floor has five bedrooms and a family bathroom, with a separate WC. The south-westerly garden includes a greenhouse and kitchen garden as well as a hard standing area and a double garage.

CONTACT Barnes Kingsnorth 01732 771616 www.bkestateagents.com

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UNDER £800,000

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MOLYNEUX PLACE, TUNBRIDGE WELLS GUIDE PRICE

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£975,000 This unique contemporary home has four bedrooms and is designed in a modern style with modern décor and fittings throughout. All four bedrooms are doubles, and two have en suites. The master suite also includes a dressing room. The large reception room has views across woodland and there is a luxury Simon Bray designer

kitchen. In addition, the house has a separate utility room and a single garage as well as off-road parking for several cars. The garden has the benefit of both upper and lower decking.

CONTACT Flying Fish Properties 01892 514189 www.flyingfishproperties.co.uk

A first floor apartment in a landmark building, with the benefit of a private terrace. Within walking distance of the town and station, the property has an open-plan sitting/dining room with a bespoke Hulsta fitted TV unit and shelving and doors to the terrace. The kitchen/breakfast room includes a coffee maker and wine cooler, while the master bedroom has a walk-through dressing room. There are two parking spaces.

CONTACT Jackson Stops & Staff 01892 521700 www.jackson-stops.co.uk

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

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Wednesday July 5 | 2017

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Wednesday July 5 | 2017

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48

FEATURES

Food & Drink

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

Everything stops for afternoon tea An indulgent array of sweet and savoury treats is deliciously delightful to indulge in and we’re lucky enough to be spoilt with an array of establishments in our area where we can enjoy it.

But, as Eileen Leahy found out, things are being taken to another level by One Warwick Park’s Head Chef André Woodward who is putting a twist on this teatime tradition…

FROM quaint country tea rooms to rustic farm shops and luxury hotels, you’re never too far from a silver tiered stand of gooey cakes and freshly baked scones adorned with clotted cream and strawberry jam in and around Tunbridge Wells.

But now there’s an establishment that’s doing something just a little bit different.

The town’s newest hotel, the four star One Warwick Park, is giving the traditional afternoon tea a little bit of a clever culinary twist by reinterpreting a number of its classic sweet treats and adopting a different themed offering for each season.

“So far we’ve done a Christmas one with mini stollens, mince pies and fruit cakes,” reveals the hotel’s Head Chef André Woodward. “Earlier this year we did an Art Deco theme and we’ve got a Summer Holidays one running a bit later in August,” adds André who had the original brainwave. “I think that by doing this it sets us apart from everyone else and it’s also a lot of fun.

“The Art Deco afternoon tea involved lots of elaborate garnishes and paper cut outs replicating the classic hallmarks of that era such as the flapper girls and speakeasy bars,” he continues as we sit and chat in the slick surroundings of

MASTER CHEF André Woodward

‘By doing this it sets us apart from everyone else and it’s also a lot of fun’

Food & Drink

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

L’Amore restaurant which is currently Tunbridge Wells’ number one on Trip Advisor having knocked the Hotel Du Vin off its top spot.

“There were a lot more savoury items on the Art Deco one: We had mini Caesar salads in shot glasses, devilled eggs and Jersey Royals stuffed with spring onions and baked cheddar and people loved it.”

With the Summer Holiday theme Andre is going all out to make it as mouth watering and memorable as possible. “We’ll be serving mini glazed donuts which will resemble inflatables, candyfloss as a little garnish on the cakes and caramelised white chocolate ‘sand’, chocolate shells and little sticks of rock.”

Contemporary The Midsummer Night’s Dream cream tea is the hotel’s current offering and when it is presented to me in all its fancy tiered glory it’s not only beautiful to look at – think an ivy garland wrapped around the cake stand complete with chocolate butterflies and bundles of summer fruits in clear evidence.

It takes all my strength to not

immediately dive into the shot glasses filled with slivers of strawberries and vanilla mascarpone as André and I chat, but once the interview is done and a perfectly brewed cup of English breakfast tea is poured out for me it’s game on.

The aforementioned ‘jelly’ is a contemporary take on traditional jelly and ice cream André says as I move onto the perfectly fresh cream filled choux buns dipped in chocolate and fruity micro macaroon pavlovas.

So delicious are the cakes, which also include petite lemon drizzle squares and rich chewy brownies sprinkled with white chocolate ‘snow’, I need to remember that there are still fruit scones and finger sandwiches – wrongly named in my opinion as they are so generous in size – to indulge in.

They include smoked salmon, cream cheese and cucumber, roast beef and onion marmalade and egg mayonnaise and rocket. All the ingredients are ‘purposefully sourced locally,’ says André. They are served on a variety of breads and help to make this decadent afternoon feast enjoyed in such pleasant surroundings a triumph.

FEATURES

49

Delicious food and aesthetics aside, what does André think the appeal of taking afternoon tea at One Warwick Park is? “Well I think it’s very relaxed and incredibly sociable. You can take your time here, soak up the atmosphere and catch up very leisurely over tea and cake or perhaps with a glass of Prosecco. What could be better?”

Afternoon tea is served seven days a week from midday until 5pm in L’Amore and One Warwick Park’s Atrium. Prices start from £16 per head or £25 per couple and booking is essential.

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FEATURES

Arts & Culture

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

The ‘People’s Tenor’ comes to Tonbridge Singing star Russell Watson will be headlining a Summer Picnic Concert at Tonbridge Castle on Sunday. Ahead of him taking to the stage at this beautiful historic venue, Eileen Leahy caught up with the man known as the ‘People’s Tenor’ to find out what audiences can expect, and why, after two decades, he still remains the UK’s best-selling classical music artist CAPTURING THE CASTLE Russell Watson is armed with songs old and new

Can you tell us a little bit about your forthcoming concert at Tonbridge Castle?

It came through the organisers of the Rye Jazz Festival. Now, I don’t really do jazz, but I am really looking forward to performing at Tonbridge Castle. The event is a picnic concert, so if people want to they can bring along a hamper of fine food and a bottle of Champagne and just sit there and watch the show.

What can people expect to hear you perform on Sunday?

We’re going to give a varied repertoire. The evening will conclude with a best of British section which will be full of favourites, such as Land of Hope and Glory, Jerusalem and Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. We also include some of the Italian favourites and some material from my new record, True Stories. There’ll also be a little bit of West End Theatre in there. We’re always inclined to drop in a little bit of Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables. So, in short, it’ll be a good old mix of songs and essentially lots of uplifting music.

What do you personally enjoy singing on stage?

Well, when I’ve got something new then I feel like ‘Oh I can’t wait to sing that and hear how it sounds live with the orchestra’ – as opposed to a studio recording. But basically I love singing – I found a vocation.

My dad hits the nail on the head when he says: ‘So, when are you going to get a real job?’ Ha!

You’ve been enormously successful over the past two decades. What do you put your longevity down to?

I’m a driven lunatic and refuse to be taken down! The music industry is a tough one and – as I’ve said all along – you’ve got to be more than just a voice to be able to get by. You’ve got to surround yourself with people you trust, so most of my family now work for me. My daughter is my personal assistant and travels everywhere with me. My sister is my business manager – and my wife just

Arts & Culture

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

STAGE PRESENCE Russell in full performance mode

What do you love most about your professional life?

Well, as I’ve always said, I’m lucky to be doing what I enjoy doing and there’s nothing more I love than walking on stage – when the light hits my face and I hear the response from the audience. It gives me such an incredible buzz – all that adrenaline, and the euphoria is a wonderful feeling when I walk off the stage.

What still drives you after 20 years of successful performing?

tells me what to do! There’s an infrastructure of good people around me that I trust. Having a good business mind is also key.

Are you busy at the moment?

Yes, I’m all over the place. I’ve done gigs recently at the London Palladium, the Royal Albert Hall… and then I’m back into the studio for a new musical I’m working on, which will be an arena tour next year. It’s called Heaven on Earth and is a massive spectacular about the story of Adam and Eve, and I’m playing the voice of God. It doesn’t get any bigger than that, does it? You could say I’ve gone right to the top with that role!

There’ll be a running waterfall, state of the art animatronics and an incredible sound system to make you feel like you’re encapsulated into the show. It’s pretty amazing. Hugh Maynard, of The Lion King and Jesus Christ Superstar fame, is also in it, along with Kerry Ellis, who’s the Queen of

‘I’m lucky to be doing what I enjoy doing and there’s nothing more I love than walking on stage’ the West End at the moment, having starred in shows like Wicked, We Will Rock You and Oliver!

It certainly sounds different to what you do as a day job?

The script is fantastic and the music does have an almost operatic feel to it, so there are parallels.

But before I tour that next year, I’m going to the States to do the annual US military concert in Washington. I’ve also got a duet with Olivia Newton-John lined up, and some more live dates here in the UK, followed by trips to New Zealand and Dubai towards the end of the year.

So yeah, life’s good.

All of the above, and I’m just not one to sit at home and stagnate.

I have to be out and doing something – even when I’m on holiday. That drive is what got me from a factory floor to being one of the best-selling classical artists in the world, and also helped me through the difficult time of being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Don’t ever say ‘no’ to me – it’s a fatal mistake as I’ll just say: ‘I’ll show you pal’.

Do you enjoy being in the studio and writing your own material?

I like the creative side of being in the studio.

When you’re performing on stage, it’s millisecond by millisecond – you’re delivering your heart and soul, whereas in the studio it’s like building blocks – everything’s layered and created over a long time, it’s a slower, more intricate development. I’ve written two tunes for the new record True Stories, and wow, what a feeling when I sang them for the first time – the audience went nuts! When you’re singing something like

FEATURES

51

Nessun Dorma, everyone’s heard it, but when you’ve written a song and it means something to you personally and you’re singing it on stage it’s a really good feeling and quite cathartic.

Is there anyone in particular you’d like to work with?

There are so many artists out there who are so great. I heard something by Jonas Blue the other day and it was a brilliant remake of the old Tracey Chapman track Fast Car. I also really like The Weeknd – as he has a real Michael Jackson sound. As far as duets are concerned, Adele would be an obvious choice as she’s got a big gob on her and I have, too!

We’d make a good combo – it’d be like the clash of the titans!

And lastly, your fans – they absolutely love you, don’t they?

The relationship between me and them has been organic.

Over the years they’ve seen me at Wembley arena, playing with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and then seen me get poorly and have to come back. I think they can empathise with the frailties and see me as a real person and not some untouchable star, because I do interact with my fans. I like to stay in touch with them and I never say no to an autograph. I love what I do and I think people can see that.

To book tickets to Russell Watson’s Summer Picnic Concert at Tonbridge Castle, which will also feature Liane Carroll and the Fidelity International choir, visit www.ryejazz.com or www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk Lawn tickets: £45. Front stage: £60

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FEATURES

What’s On

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

SEVEN DAYS OF SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AT A GLANCE

WHATS ON WITH THE

Eileen Leahy Local events

FIND A FAIRY At Groombridge Place

>> WEDNESDAY Trinity Theatre will be transporting its audience to the sunnier climes of Sicily this evening, thanks to its screening an evening of live opera from 7.30pm. The Teatro Antico di Taormina is the location, and it’s one that has inspired artists for over 2000 years – from the ancient Greeks and Romans to Woody Allen and today’s opera stars.

This summer it stages Puccini’s La Bohème – the tragic love story between a young poet and a seamstress. If you can’t be there in person then this is the perfect alternative. You can book tickets, which start from £18, at www.trinitytheatre.net Shirley Valentine is on at the Assembly Hall all this week. In the 30th anniversary revival of the Willy Russell play, marked by its first UK tour, the eponymous lead role is played by Jodie Prenger.

Expect a lot of laughs and tears watching this classic piece of British drama. For tickets and timings, visit www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

If you would like to see your events featured in our weekly What’s On pages, please email eileen@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk

>> THURSDAY The Kent High Weald Partnership will be at Grosvenor and Hilbert Park today from 10am until 3pm hosting a Alien attack event. They are asking members of the public to join their task team in order to help the park get rid of the non-native, invasive Himalayan Balsam. If you want to help out, just turn up at the park’s Hub in appropriate outdoor gear. www.khwp.org.uk Jazz on The Pantiles is continuing in full swing every Thursday evening throughout the summer. To make it a really special event, why not avail yourselves of the exclusive menu offered by One Warwick Park Hotel before the music gets underway? Between 12noon and 7pm you can enjoy one course for £10, two courses for £15 and three courses for £20, including a large glass of house wine. Alternatively, you can sip a glass of your favourite wine or cocktail of choice in the hotel’s lounge bar, which is offering 2 for 1 on all drinks every Thursday between 5 and 7pm.

For more details, see www.onewarwickpark.co.uk >> FRIDAY The SIBA South East Beer Festival returns to Tonbridge

FROM GARDEN TO TABLE At Pashley Manor

FUN IN THE SUN Jodie Prenger as Shirley Valentine

today and tomorrow, with a magnificent haul of 186 different beers to be sampled. Hosted by Tonbridge Juddians’ Rugby Club, the event takes place on the club’s pitches in The Slade. This is a relaxed and familyfriendly event with plenty of different drinks to sample, good food and live music to enjoy. Entry is free and all beers cost £3.40 per pint. Full details can be found at www.tj-beerfest.com The drive-in cinema at the Hop Farm will be screening Transformers: The Last Knight from tonight until July 13. This is the fifth instalment in the Transformers series and stars Mark Wahlberg, Josh Duhamel and Anthony Hopkins. Tickets cost £25 per vehicle.

See www.moonlightcinema.com

PICK OF THE WEEK The Mela Festival Sunday July 9, 12.30-6.30pm

The annual Tunbridge Wells Mela Festival, which is now in its 12th year, takes place on Sunday July 9 at Calverley Grounds.

The popular Mela celebrates the diversity and cohesion of the borough through music, food and dance, and is organised by Cohesion Plus in partnership with the Kent Equality Cohesion Council, with the support of Arts Council England.

Free to attend, the vivid and vibrant one-day festival’s highlights include performances by Ukelear Fallout, The Paul Dunton Orchestra, The Bollywood Brass Band, Reel Eire Irish Dance, Mumbai Vice, Four by Four Bhangra and Bangladeshi pop star Nurjahan Shilpi.

What’s On

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

NOT ONE TO TOY WITH Transformers: The Last Knight at the Hop Farm

>> SATURDAY The Cobnut food fair takes place this weekend at King John’s Nursery in Etchingham. Visitors can expect to sample the finest traditional and artisan producers and suppliers from across Kent and Sussex. There will be over 40 stalls at the festival, with everything from acorn-fed pigs to the spring lambs of the marshes, scrumptious ales and mouthwatering cheeses for every palate to enjoy. For more information, visit www.cobnutfoodfair.co.uk The Hotel Du Vin celebrates its 20th birthday in style today, with a glorious summer garden party.

Between 2 and 5pm, visitors can enjoy a guided tour of the hotel’s wine cellars, or sit in the delightful gardens and enjoy a spot of afternoon tea. For more details see www.hotelduvin.com >> SUNDAY If you fancy a weekend treat and the sun is shining then make sure you head over to Hever Castle & Gardens, which will be hosting afternoon teas on selected dates throughout the summer. Made in the Castle’s kitchen, and served in the Anne Boleyn Wing with views across the orchard, it

promises to be a delightful and delicious experience. For timings and prices, visit `` www.hevercastle.co.uk Alternatively, you and your family could discover the Fairies & Elves of Groombridge Place today.

The picturesque spot, just outside Tunbridge Wells, is hosting craft activities and storytellings in and around their beautiful grounds and enchanted forest. For tickets and times, see www.thelittleboxoffice.com Classical star Russell Watson is performing at Tonbridge Castle this afternoon, with special guests including Liane Carroll. The event starts at 1pm. For tickets, visit www.assemblyhalltheatre. co.uk or www.ryejazz.com See our exclusive interview with the ‘People’s Tenor’ on pages 50-51.

Put on your dancing shoes and head over to Ightham Mote for their Strictly Historical Dancing event happening today from 12noon until 3.30pm.

Visitors can see a host of different dances from throughout the ages performed at this glorious stately home. The event is free after normal admission has been paid. For more details, see www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ightham-mote >> MONDAY Kitchen Garden Week continues at the delightful Pashley Manor in Ticehurst. Running from 10am5pm, it’s a great way to see what the gardeners suggest is best to grow where and when. Entrance costs £10. www.pashleymanorgardens.com It’s Open Mic night from 8pm at the Royal Oak pub in Tunbridge Wells. All keen musicians and singers are welcome to come along and perform. >> TUESDAY Trinity’s resident amateur theatre company TTC starts its run of Sleuth tonight. On every day until Saturday, it’s full of twists and turns, and deemed

by Director Derek Hollweg to be the ‘perfect mix of suspense and excitement and a dazzling parody’ of the Agatha Christie country-house thriller.

Tickets start from £15. See www.trinitytheatre.net

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A ROUND-UP OF THIS WEEK’S MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Paul Dunton Live music

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

THE GREY LADY MUSIC LOUNGE The Pantiles, doors 7.15pm, entry £6/£7. Websites www.pdag.co.uk + www.thegreylady.co.uk

THE BEAU NASH TAVERN Mount Ephraim, open all day, free entry, music from 8.30pm till late

WEDNESDAY Miar Murphy, The ‘Nigel’ Band FRIDAY Jazz Club Night SUNDAY Mike Wilton, Steffan James, Mark Morriss TUESDAY Summer Mooney + support WEDNESDAY Mangetout Recovery, Ian Knapp, The Varlies

FRIDAY Music Festival & BBQ featuring ‘Acoustic Atlas’ SATURDAY Second Helpin’

THE TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM Event information at www.twforum.co.uk

THURSDAY Black Peaks FRIDAY Boogie Nights SATURDAY Seething Akira + All the Above + DJ Funky Dan SUNDAY Unfest Sessions (1pm start) LIVE EXPRESSIONS FESTIVAL Fri July 7 until Sun July 9 at Colebrook Lakes, 19 Kingstanding Way, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 3UP. Tickets and information at www.liveexpressions.co.uk THE BEDFORD 2 High Street, open all day, free entry, music from 8pm till late More information at www.thebedfordtw.co.uk

SATURDAY Kyla Stroud

TONBRIDGE CASTLE High Street, Tonbridge. Tickets and information for the event at www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk and www.ryejazz.com

SUNDAY Russell Watson Summer Picnic Concert (Gates open 1pm, Supporting Acts 2pm, Main Performance 4.30pm ) THE ROYAL OAK Prospect Road, open all day

SATURDAY The Harveys MONDAY Open Mic Night THE PANTILES BANDSTAND The Pantiles, open all day, free entry, music from 8pm

THURSDAY Jazz On The Pantiles SATURDAY Soultrain THE CROSS KEYS St John’s Road, open all day, free entry, music from 8pm. Website www.crosskeystw.co.uk

MONDAY TWUNT: Ukulele Jam Session THE MELA FESTIVAL Sunday July 9, Calverley Grounds. Open all day, free entry, music from 12.30 till 6.30pm. For more information, see www.tunbridgewellsmela.com

KING WILLIAM IV Pembury, open all day, free entry, music from 7.30pm

SATURDAY Chris Tampsett

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Travel

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

California cruising for a taste of American beauty

T

HE big question looms: “Which is your favourite?” I peer at the wine list in front of me, hoping to reach a conclusion, but I can’t – they’re all delicious. “Perhaps you’d like to try the gin, too?” I certainly would, thank you. After all, when in California, as they say…

I’m in the midst of a somewhat full-on USA road trip. What began as relaxing honeymoon plans have quickly become a heady mix of furtive excitement and sightseeing – from Las Vegas to San Francisco and then down the West Coast of California, we’ve certainly been packing it in – but now I’m looking for a little respite, and I think I’ve found it in San Luis Obispo County.

Located halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles along California’s Central Coast, SLO County boasts beautiful beaches, stunning scenery – and, due to its unique microclimates, it’s also a winemaker’s paradise – which is how I’ve found myself sampling the delights at the Grey Wolf Cellars in Paso Robles.

Due to unusual weather conditions at the end of last year, the traditional Highway 1 route from San Francisco to Los Angeles is closed south of Monterey County while urgent repairs are completed on Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge, but it’s easy enough to get to the area. We’ve taken the alternative route via Highway 101, which conveniently brings us right into wine country and the tranquil rolling hills of Paso Robles.

From Grey Wolf, we visit another local winery – Ecluse – where owner Steve invites us to taste straight from the tank, and then we’re merrily (well, one of us is, the other is driving) on our way to our stop for the night – Little Sur Inn, which is located in Cambria.

A MUST-SEE The Cambrian shoreline

Our room has a stunning outlook over the seafront, a warming fire for chilly evenings and is the perfect location to sit and watch the sun set over the ocean. Once the last slivers of light drop into the sea, we venture out to the town itself in search of dinner.

Cambria is a charming town, named one of the most beautiful in America by Forbes Magazine.

We drive down to the village area for dinner and are met with an eclectic mix of boutiques, gift shops and restaurants, eventually finding ourselves in Las Cambritas, a Mexican eatery, enjoying some amazing flavoursome dishes, including the delicious (but not diet friendly) avocado fritas. Happy and full, we return to our hotel and fall asleep to the sounds of the sea.

‘San Luis Obispo County boasts beautiful beaches, stunning scenery and a winemaker’s paradise’ breeding and to rest. It certainly puts our road trip into perspective!

Lunch is at 60 State Park restaurant in Morro Bay – around a 45-minute drive from San Simeon along Highway 1, and is in an idyllic setting

Masterpiece We awake to a cloudless morning, and set off for our first excursion of the day – a visit to Hearst Castle, which is set at an altitude of 1,600 feet and offers unparalleled views across the surrounding Californian scenery. I instantly fall in love with this Mediterranean-inspired architectural masterpiece and, teamed with the fascinating guided tour, this is a real SLO County gem worth spending a few hours visiting.

Once back at normal ground level, we drive along to the Elephant Seal Vista Point at San Simeon, where hundreds of the creatures lie basking in the sunshine and playing in the sea.

We learn that, amazingly, the seals spend eight to ten months a year in the open ocean before migrating thousands of miles for birthing,

During a US road trip, San Luis Obispo provides the perfect oasis – as Charlie Bond discovers

PIZZA THE ACTION Wood-fired at The Flour House

overlooking the bay and the park. The menu is filled with fresh, seasonal ingredients, and we both tuck in to beer-battered halibut with chips, which I can safely say gives our British fish and chips a run for their money.

We follow lunch with a stroll around Morro Bay waterfront, where we duck into quaint seaside shops, watch boats setting sail, and breathe in the fresh sea air. It’s a wonderful place to while away the hours, and with plenty of watersport and boat excursions available, there’s certainly plenty to see and do.

Travel

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

TAKING IT SLO… In a hot tub

FEATURES

PLAN YOUR TRIP HIGH POINT Hearst Castle

FULL OF CHARM Downtown Cambria

As the afternoon draws to a close, we continue our road trip adventure by making our way to San Luis Obispo city itself (or SLO Town, as it’s affectionately known), and exploring what it has to offer. It’s early evening and the streets are buzzing – the sun may be setting but here things are just beginning to heat up. As stylish downtown boutiques close their doors, restaurants with al fresco patios and bars bedecked with festoon lighting are opening up.

Our fish and chips are long-forgotten, and we set out to find somewhere to dine for the evening.

There are so many options, but in the end we choose The Flour House – an authentic Italian pizza restaurant where the pizzas are fresh, wood-fired and nothing short of amazing. There’s even the option of vegan cheese, and the drink

HAPPINESS SEALED At Elephant Seal Vista Point menu proffers a strong selection of local wines.

This is the kind of restaurant I’d love to have on my doorstep at home – but if they won’t make the move to Blighty then perhaps I’ll have

to set my sights on SLO Town instead.

We’ve had a brilliant, but busy, day so it’s time to unwind – and there’s no better way than hiring a hot tub at Sycamore Springs and spending an hour relaxing under the stars. Nestled within the Avila Valley, the tree-canopied hillside plays host to 23 open-air mineral spring hot tubs, each secluded and peaceful, with just the sound of the birds and the breeze. When our hour is up, it’s almost impossible to peel ourselves from the cocoon of the warm water to head to our hotel.

Thanks to a combination of sea air, soothing spring water and the softest super king bed at the Seacrest Hotel at Pismo Beach, I have the most restful night’s sleep. But, it’s almost bittersweet, because when I wake up I know our time in SLO is soon to come to an end. However, there’s still time for one last attempt to take things slowly, so we head down the steps directly from the hotel and sink our toes into the sand on the beach below.

Eventually, though, it really is time to climb back into the car and continue our American adventure. Just two days in SLO County has felt like a lifetime, but there’s so much still to explore.

If I really can’t bottle it and take it home in my suitcase, then perhaps I’ll just have to return – and next time for much, much, longer…

www.bartonfamilywines.com www.eclusewines.com www.littlesurinn.com www.lascambritas.com www.hearstcastle.org www.innatmorrobay.com www.flourhouseslo.com www.sycamoresprings.com www.seacrestpismo.com With thanks to: www.slocal.com www.VisitTheUsa.co.uk

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Advertorial

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

ONE year on…

The town’s newest hotel, One Warwick Park, celebrates its first anniversary this month so to mark it we look back at the last twelve months and meet some of the team who are helping to put this luxury four star hotel on the map…

A TASTE OF LUXURY One Warwick Park

guest experience. We are delighted to hold the top spot on Trip Advisor and to be included in The Times newspaper’s top 50 coolest hotels in the UK, and to be shortlisted for a RICS 2017 Leisure and Tourism award - all within our first year.

“As well as attracting guests and visitors from further afield, the local community is a very important market for us,” Mr Spencer reveals. “We regularly host local networking groups like ‘Mums the Word’, TedEx and Visit Kent, and we have corporate bedroom accounts in place with over 40 regional businesses.” The hotel also recently provided the space for Fashion Reboot – a pop-up fashion fair run by influential bloggers Erica Davies and Ciara Elliott.

Since One Warwick Park opened, the hotel has been very busy, especially at weekends with the majority of its 39 rooms being booked out well in advance.

‘Over the last year we have built up a regular clientele who dine with us on many occasions throughout the month’

IT’S JULY 1st 2016 and the final preparations are underway for the official opening of One Warwick Park Hotel following nearly three years of planning and development work. Cutting the ribbon at the opening are Harry Collins, the Queen’s official jeweller and Kiaran MacDonald, former Director of The Savoy Hotel, London. Over 300 VIPs, guests and media attended the event and now a year on from that very special

occasion we caught up with Harry Spencer, One Warwick Park’s Operations Manager, to find out what followed the hotel’s glittering launch…

“Running a hotel is a 24/7 business and you never stop learning. Our customer feedback is paramount and we take all comments on board,” Mr Spencer told The Times.

“We are constantly developing and training our staff to ensure a very high standard of service and

The hotel has also welcomed quite a few celebrities. “We’ve had Denise Van Outen, Dame Kelly Holmes and Jamie Laing visit as well as some who asked for their visit to us to remain confidential. Discretion is a big part of the service we provide,” adds Mr Spencer who trained at Salomons Estate before moving into his current role in June last year.

L’AMORE is the hotel’s restaurant which caters for approximately 70 covers and serves a variety of Italian inspired dishes. Its manager, Sime Ercegovic, comments: “With so many great restaurants in the town we knew that our offering had to be something very special. Using the finest and freshest ingredients, our chefs’ creative flair and penchant for excellence ensures that L’AMORE will satisfy appetites, whether they’re seeking a light bite and glass of wine, a hearty

CELEBRATION TIME The hotel is perfect for parties

plate of homemade Italian pasta, or our fresh market fish of the day.

“Over the last year we have built up a regular clientele who dine with us on many occasions throughout the month, from a spot of breakfast to dinner with our live Jazz. Our Art Deco and Midsummer Night’s Dream Afternoon Tea are also very popular as a treat or just for something that little bit different.”

The clever design of the hotel encompasses what was The Old School House in Chapel Place but is now a contemporary, large function and event space with its own private bar. This has hosted many weddings, private events and celebrations, including a children’s birthday party, designed and run by luxury party organisers, Dilly & Diti.

So with over 8,000 overnight guests, 100 functions, 50 conferences and more than 20,000 full English breakfasts served, all in its very first year, it’s clear that One Warwick Park has become a firm new favourite in Tunbridge Wells.

See pages 48-49 for a taste of afternoon tea with a difference at One Warwick Park

From conception to completion: a year in pictures at One Warwick Park

Recruitment

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

NEWS

WITH THE

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

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS AND TONBRIDGE

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Life & Style

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

A FUTURE OF EXPANSION

SMALL BUSINESS MEETS BIG TECHNOLOGY

Berry & Lamberts Solicitors are expanding their family law team in Tunbridge Wells and Sevenoaks.

Yashin Masoliver is a specialist family lawyer with over 20 years’ experience. He is the Head of this Firm’s Family Law Team and has just moved to the Tunbridge Wells office. His practice covers all aspects of family law, with particular emphasis and experience of dealing in complex financial disputes involving pensions, businesses, trusts and assets abroad.

A new name in business technology and support has emerged locally but the man behind it is a well established local expert in his field. Nick Brandon, formerly Sales Director of First Office Systems has started tecwork, a trading name of Firstcom Limited.

Although the company has been established since 1998, tecwork is the start of a new era for Nick. Concentrating on helping small business owners and managers with their IT and Telecoms, Nick explains the circumstances: “I helped build First Office Systems into a great little business with great people and some lovely customers. When the plan to buy the business from the owner went awry, the business ended up being sold to a bigger company last November. I decided to leave at the end of April and concentrate on my own business, tecwork.”

Yashin says “It is a really exciting time of expansion for me and for the business. I have spent many years representing professionals and business owners and enjoy working closely with clients to understand their needs and priorities, providing pragmatic advice to achieve positive outcomes. Tunbridge Wells is such a vibrant town with forward thinking businesses and people. It is one of the reasons we have been in Kent for over 250 years!”

With a presence in Kent, Sussex and London, the business is up and running after only 6 weeks and taking orders. The plan is to expand staff numbers over the coming months and become the ‘go to’ place for business owners to come to for their Telecoms and IT and for the best local talent to find a new career in an exciting and growing B2B tech business.

Yashin lives locally and enjoys cycling, playing football and watching Tonbridge Angels Football Club.

A series of helpful webinars is being run to help businesses understand how to benefit from Cloud and VoIP technology.

Details are here: http://www.tecwork.co.uk/Cloud-and-VoIPWebinar.php

Anila Naeem is joining Berry & Lamberts Sevenoaks office as a Senior Solicitor within the family team on 3rd July 2017. She advises on all aspects of family law, with particular emphasis on the resolution of complex financial disputes, particularly those involving significant pension and business assets. She says “I adopt a firm and practical approach and have a reputation for being an innovative and creative problem solver. I am really looking forward to becoming part of the Sevenoaks community”.

www.tecwork.co.uk 01892 578666 helpme@tecwork.co.uk

Anila enjoys travelling and spending time with her young family.

To contact Yashin, Anila or any other area of Berry & Lamberts call our head office on 01892526344 or email enquiries@thesolicitors.co.uk. www.the-solicitors.co.uk

TACKLING HEART DISEASE IN TANDEM On the 18th June, David & Suzanne Johnson of KMJ Property, took to their tandem to raise money for the British Heart Foundation, by riding 54 miles from London to Brighton. KMJ Property entered the ride as a team with their son Marc (16) riding another tandem with his friend Cameron (17) and their youngest son Jack (14) riding solo. Their daughter Katrina (19) and David’s brother and his wife (Martin & Michelle) made up the transport team.

Becoming the hottest London to Brighton on record the weather was scorching and the people standing at the side of the road with hosepipes were very welcome! Leaving London at 7.30am with colds and not much training under their belt, David & Suzanne had resigned themselves to walking the hills but determination got the better of them and they managed to ride the whole 54 miles without walking and along with their team members they managed to Beat the Beacon!

If you would like to help support The British Heart Foundation by making a donation please visit our Just Giving Page www. justgiving.com/fundraising/kmjproperty or drop a donation into our office in Rusthall High Street. www.kmjproperty.co.uk

CHOCOLATL Chocolatl is a newly-opened chocolate-inspired eatery and shop in The Pantiles. Our name (pronounced choc-o-lat-el ) comes from the Aztecs who introduced the cacao plant to the Spanish hundreds of years ago. Like the Aztec kings who prized this ingredient so highly, we think chocolate is amazing. A versatile ingredient that can be used in many dishes: savoury, sweet, to eat or to drink, to be combined with endless flavours in endless combinations. And our mission is to bring you chocolate in as many of these amazing forms as possible!

We are an independent company offering an exciting range of chocolate products to eat or drink in store or to take home as gifts or as a treat for yourself. Our shop features some of the finest artisan bean-to-bar chocolatiers out there. Our cafe speciality is our hot chocolates which can be combined with infusions and spices to keep you coming back to try new combinations! In the summer we make fabulous chocolate milkshakes (add Bailey’s or rum for a grown up treat!).

A fabulous brunch and lunch menu with a savoury chocolate twist is currently in development… including smashed avocado with crunchy nibs, cocoa-roasted cauliflower tabbouleh and pork and cocoa sausage rolls. Of course we have plenty of delicious chocolate sweets for those looking to indulge, including the best chocolate brownies!

KENT AIR AMBULANCE “SPINATHON” AT FIT4LESS A MASSIVE SUCCESS! Well over £3,000 (and counting) was raised for Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance in a sponsored “Spinathon” at Fit4Less on Saturday, June 24th. With the target set at £2,500, everybody involved was delighted to be able to contribute so much to keeping the Air Ambulance service flying to the rescue to all of us. They have no official funding and rely totally on charitable donations to fund their annual budget of £6.5 million, yet the speed with which they can get people to hospital saves countless lives.

Choctail evenings, fondue and wine, cheese and chocolate evenings are all in the pipeline, so watch this space! We hope you enjoy the Chocolatl experience.

The event was inspired by friends of Carl and Marcin – who were knocked down by a car in a horrible accident on Tunbridge Wells Common two years ago – who wanted to raise awareness of the service and the fact that it needs financial support. Legendary local instructor, Emily Stevens gave six hours of leadership to 45 participants, some of whom were on their bikes all day. Fit4Less provided the venue and the bikes and all concerned had a fabulous day and were overjoyed with the support they got from their friends and family and other members of the gym, though there were some sore legs on Sunday!

11 The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5TD 01892 457575 www.chocolatl.co.uk

If you want to add to the total raised, please go to www. justgiving.com/companyteams/Sixhourspinathon and add your donation. Every penny helps, and every one of us might one day be glad the service is still there for us!

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

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Sporting Times

CONTACT US:

Please send your sports stories to newsdesk@timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk or newsdesk@timesoftonbridge.co.uk

Wednesday July 5 | 2017

Paying tribute to a life-saving cricketer

By Andrew Tong

PHOTO: Linda Grinham

CRICKET: A COUPLE from Tunbridge Wells who were involved in a horrific car accident have held a charity picnic at Linden Park Cricket Club to celebrate the bravery of a cricketer and raise money for the air ambulance service.

Carl Sergeant suffered serious injuries after he was struck by the errant vehicle while walking near the cricket ground, while his partner Marcin Ryder was also injured.

Dartford Cricket Club were in the field against Linden Park at the time and were the first to react. One of their number, recently retired fireman Ross Allen, is credited with saving Carl’s life after staunching the flow of blood.

The north Kent side were once again visiting

Tunbridge Wells for the Kent League Division One fixture. Though Ross was not playing, he came along to be reunited with Carl and Marcin.

On June 27, 2015 a car collided with a stationary vehicle on Mount Ephraim in Tunbridge Wells, then it veered across the road and back again.

It went through a verge and hit the pedestrians on a footpath before continuing for 150 metres.

Carl, 46, suffered serious injuries from the impact and was flown to St George’s Hospital in London by the Kent, Surrey and Sussex and Surrey Air Ambulance (KSSAA).

He was in an induced coma for 18 days after suffering multiple fractures and a collapsed lung.

Marcin, 34, also sustained foot fractures.

The driver, 60-year-old Rodney Bradbury from Rusthall, said he suffered a blackout.

He was jailed for 18 months after admitting two

REUNITED: Marcin Ryder, Ross Allen (in pink) and Carl Sergeant with the cricketers at Linden Park

counts of causing serious injury by TIGHT RUN dangerous driving.

Linden Park take Marcin recalls: “We were walking on Dartford back from a pub lunch where we celebrated our third wedding anniversary when a car lost control and ploughed into us.

“At the same time there was a cricket game going on between Linden Park and Dartford. It happened that Ross Allen from the Dartford team was a retired fireman and he was able to stop immediately Carl’s bleeding.

He added: “If it hadn’t been for Ross Allen and the Air Ambulance team, it is very unlikely that he would have survived.

“We were always deeply touched reading about horrific accidents. On this occasion it was us.

“Two years on and we still going through the aftermath of the Leale-Green, to raise public awareness that accident, awaiting more surgical KSSAA depend upon donations from the public. procedures and longwinded litigation.

The fundraising has so far brought in more than “But we really wanted to make something to say £4,000 - they originally planned to raise £2,500, thank you. We really want to close that chapter the cost of one air ambulance mission. and do something for local community.

They have received tireless support from Charles “The accident affected not only us but all who Foulkes and Emily Stevens of Spinathon at were on the scene were heavily traumatised.

Fit4less. The local cricket club will donate ten per Being able to connect was comforting thing and cent of their bar takings from the day. brought some closure to that horrific accident.”

The couple’s lives have been changed forever.

Being reunited with Ross was an overwhelming Carl used to run Sergeants’ Bentley and Rolls experience for Marcin. “Meeting him and his Royce garage in Goudhurst but has sold the family was an amazing and heartfelt experience. business as his body requires more rest.

“I couldn’t deliver a speech on that day as I was Marcin had been a sport therapist at the time of to close to breaking down from all the emotions.” the accident but his injuries prevented him from The couple have been collecting signatures to returning to that profession. put Ross forward for a Pride of Britain award, but He is now studying to become a counsellor: they chose to keep this a secret.

“They are not aware we were collecting the “I want to help people to know how to overcome signatures. They are very humble and modest trauma, as I am a surviver of one myself.” people. I didn’t want them to feel uncomfortable.” To make a donation to Carl and Marcin’s KSSAA They set up the charity picnic with the help of campaign, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ the Honorary Chairman of Linden Park, Alan Marcin-Ryder

Williams’ brilliant century in vain as run chase falls short CRICKET: A TOTAL of 543 runs were scored in an exciting contest at Martin Grove as Tunbridge Wells made a valiant attempt to chase down a target of 283.

Each side made a powerful start only to founder when the bowlers fought back, causing the initiative to ebb and flow dramatically.

Alex Williams chose to insert Lordswood and Kent’s Sean Dickson showed his form, scoring 127 off 130 balls with 11 fours and four sixes.

Two days later he was compiling a triple century against Northamptonshire at Beckenham, a record individual score on home turf.

Dickson put on 132 for the third wicket with Chris Piesley (62), who raced to a half-century off 37 balls, and a total of well over 300 looked likely.

Chris Williams finally broke the stand to send back the centurion, and now the visitors countered valiantly to turn the game around.

From the security of 243 for 2, Lordswood slid to

282 all out, succumbing to the spin of Nick Sale (3 for 56) and Marcus O’Riordan (2 for 51) as well as a lively spell from Alex Williams (2 for 40). The collapse saw eight wickets tumble for a 39 runs.

Wells lurched to 32 for 2 in the reply before the Williams brothers began an epic riposte which swung the game back in favour of the visitors.

A succession of fours and sixes brought a stand of 84 in 85 balls. The Lordswood attack was blunted, though Chris Williams was dismissed after reaching his half-century off 63 balls.

Michael Waller (36) then proved the ideal partner to his captain Alex Williams. They added a further 109 for the fourth wicket, reducing the target to highly gettable 58 off nine overs.

At 225 for 3, however, the skipper was finally caught after a brilliant century. His 128 came off 111 balls with 14 fours and three sixes. But his dismissal saw the match turn again.

Lordswood’s bowlers regrouped, with Hugh

Bernard grabbing 3 for 29 including the crucial wicket of Williams, and Jack Laraman 3 for 54.

So the second collapse of the game saw the last seven Wells wickets fall for 36, the home side winning an absorbing match by 21 runs.

Wells at least attained the maximum bowling and batting points and remain eighth in the Premier League, with high flyers Bexley coming to the Nevill this weekend.

Impressive In Division One, Linden Park slipped to defeat by 102 runs at home to Dartford.

The hosts inserted and saw the visitors pile on 255 for 9 with contributions from Callum Jackson (75) and Howard Powell (49).

The home bowlers stuck to their task, however, and Dave Booth was particularly impressive with a return of 3 for 36 while Usman Sahar emerged

with creditable figures of 3 for 51.

But Linden Park’s chase faltered badly as they were reduced to 83 for 5. and they were finally bundled out for 153, Sam Jewiss taking 3 for 37.

Cowdrey won a pulsating contest at OD Cuaco’s Langley Park in Division Four. They chose to bat first and posted a total of 245 with Dario Boyce scoring 90, supported by Jack Southwart (51).

Boyce was dismissed just short of his century by Edward Nott, who grabbed 4 for 17 to ensure the home side’s target was within reach.

The chase began well with Ben Webster (62) and Laurence Sanders (43) forging a powerful opening partnership, but Ralph Yeats-Brown (4 for 68) worked his way through the top order.

Then the opening bowlers Nicholas Farr (3 for 59) and Chris Fenwick (2 for 42) returned for productive second spells after being denied earlier on, and the reply fell away to 230 all out, giving Cowdrey victory by 15 runs.

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A flexible friend: Yoga is good for your mind, body and spirit Roz Miles from the Core Balance Health Studio says the ancient practice has great benefits for our modern lives...

FLEXIBLE FRIEND Roz Miles at her Tonbridge studio YOGA:

FOR years I thought yoga was all about swaying and humming, while struggling to get your tired body into awkward and uncomfortable poses.

I used to think it was for people who wear loud colours and long scarves in their hair. Or people like my Auntie Doris, who goes to a weekly class in the village hall.

The good news is, it benefits everyone, whatever

your age and no matter how inflexible you are.

The word ‘yoga’ comes from the Sanskrit root yuj, which means ‘to join’ or ‘to yoke’. Some can be put off because they think its a religion, but it is actually a practical aid which can assist us through our modern lives.

Yoga is over 10,000 years old, and the ancient practice develops our bodies as well as our mind and spirit.

It is important to understand that yoga is a lifestyle, not just that class you manage to attend once a month. It is a science which influences everything from your diet to the way you approach and react to the world around you.

The benefits are endless and different aspects of yoga can help people in different ways. It can be particularly beneficial for the mind as well as the physique.

Perhaps you are stressed at work, or you may have a sporting event that you want to develop a confident and calm mindset for.

Yoga works to maintain the health of the spinal column, which houses the nervous system. That’s important for overall wellbeing. You will notice your energy and mental health will improve.

We are all so busy, rushing from A to B. Even when we get home from work in the evenings, there is a mountain of chores to do. When we sit on the couch to relax, the TV will go on, so our

minds are never truly calm.

Make some space in your busy schedule to meditate. Perhaps practice some breathing techniques that will increase lung capacity, help to decrease stress levels and help to eliminate toxins from the body and calm your mind.

Physical and mental relaxation is required for optimum health, so why not incorporate some yoga into your life and welcome the benefits that it brings. www.corebalancehealthstudio.com ROUND THE BEND Yoga boosts energy and mental health

Wells’ coaches help to set up elite school attended a hockey session at Paddington Recreational Ground, with Alex performing a skills demonstration before the group enjoyed a full hockey session.

The Alex Danson Hockey Academy will coach children aged 7-11, introducing sessions into 500 primary schools and hosting 100 hockey camps in Everyone Active centres.

Alex described her feelings, saying: “It feels a bit surreal, I have two passions, which are playing hockey and getting people to play hockey.

It’s a sport that has changed my life and I have loved being a part of it.

“I was very lucky to be introduced to the game quite young and I just want as many young people to have that opportunity as possible.

“I love this game, I’ve been playing

Fitzpatrick and Hagger relish Norfolk contest TRIATHLON: HOLKHAM HALL provided a spectacular backdrop for the Outlaw Half Iron Triathlon (1900m swim, 56 mile bike ride, 13.1 mile run).

With over 1500 on the start sheet, competition would prove fierce across age groups.

The event attracted an elite field of 50 athletes, with Craig Twigg breaking the course record in 4hrs 9mins. Local athlete Sam Begg impressed in a time 4:22, finishing in seventh place overall.

Kieran Fitzpatrick (M35) was first home for Tunbridge Wells Triathlon Club in a time of 4:58, 13th in his Age Group.

Jude Hagger (F40) finished fifth in her Age Group in a time of 5:30. Consistency across all the disciplines ensured she was well placed to finish strongly on the run. Eric Perrier (M45) finished in 5:19, 28th in his Age Group.

Angels commended for community awareness

England captain calls on local gurus to establish her ambitious academy...

HOCKEY: FOUR members of Tunbridge Wells Hockey Club, along with Leigh Maasdorp, the Hockey Academy Manager at Tonbridge School, were amongst a dozen coaches invited to help England captain Alex Danson unveil her new academy.

The club’s men’s captain, Francis Bridgeman, girls’ coaches Vince Holden, Miar Murphy and Danny Macro attended the launch event in West London with Leigh, who is also England Hockey Performance Centre and England Under-16s Head Coach.

Alex, a gold medallist with Great Britain’s Olympic team in Rio last summer, has launched her own academy with the aim of engaging 10,000 children with hockey over the next three years.

Around 200 schoolchildren

ON THE RUN Kieran Fitzpatrick finishes the Outlaw event

STICK TOGETHER: (L-R): Francis Bridgeman, Miar Murphy, Alex Danson, Vince Holden, Danny Macro and Leigh Maasdorp it for as long as I can remember. It’s given me so much in my life aside from the obvious things.

“The Olympics were phenomenal,

being with the team in Rio was amazing, but one of the most special things was coming back to 10,000 new people playing hockey.”

FOOTBALL: TONBRIDGE GLASS ACT Angels Football Club Angels won the have become the first inaugural award ever winners of their league’s Community Club of the Year Award.

Up against 23 other clubs in the Ryman Premier League across the South East and East Anglia, Tonbridge came out on top because of its work across altruistic community projects.

Whilst its mainstay remains the provision of semi-professional football, since becoming supporter-owned in 2015 it has increasingly worked for the benefit of local causes.

The judges noted the work done in providing free heart screening for 900 young people this year.

Angels Chairman, Steve Churcher, said the club was ‘delighted’ with the award, adding: “As a supporter-owned club we aim to work within the community, and through a lot of hard work by people connected with the club in various capacities, this is exactly what we have done.”