Sarah-Jane Adams
Spring has sprung, and with it a new sense of optimism for the town centre, and the traders we represent as the Business Improvement District for Royal Tunbridge Wells. Whether you’re treating a loved one for Mother’s Day, finding things to do with kids at Easter, or simply looking forward to getting back to a sense of normality, please do pop to the Pantiles, hit the High Street and come to Camden Road - our town centre shops, eateries and services are here waiting for you, and need your support as the dark days clear.
This second issue of the RTW Together magazine highlights many of these entrepreneurs - we hope you enjoy reading your free issue.
SARAH-JANE@TUNBRIDGEWELLSTOGETHER.CO.UK
WRITTEN AND DESIGNED BY SARAH-JANE ADAMS PHOTOGRAPHY, UNLESS OTHERWISE CREDITED, BY CHARLIE LYNE FOR RTW TOGETHER WWW.CHARLIELYNE.CO.UK
P. 6-9 GOURMET GRILLING Bring on the burgers P. 10-13 PUT A LID ON IT Foiling drink spiking P. 18-23 PIP, PIP, HOORAY Dog’s eye view of the Pantiles
P. 4-5 NEWSWORTHY Word on the street P. 24-29 SMASHING IT Glass by Claudia P. 30-31 SPRUCING UP Tree of Hope grows P. 32-33 CAKE IT OFF Hudson’s coffee queens P. 36-37 OUT ON A LIMB Pilates studio expands P. 42-45 CUTTING CHEMICALS Natural beauty at TAW salon P. 46-47 RAZOR SHARP Barbers celebrates 22 years
© RTW TOGETHER, WWW.RTWTOGETHER.COM
PRODUCED BY RTW TOGETHER BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT PRINTED IN THE TOWN CENTRE, FOR THE TOWN CENTRE, AT KALL KWIK, CAMDEN ROAD, KALLKWIK.CO.UK/TUNBRIDGEWELLS
Cripps Pemberton Greenish, of Mount Ephraim, has been recognised as a leading law firm in the Kent Legal Sector Review 2022. The review ranks Kent’s law firms by specialism, based on their standing in two highly respected annual legal directories, Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500.
Cripps has retained the top spot for Corporate and Commercial law, with more than double the points of its next competitors.
PICTURED: MIKE SCOTT, SENIOR PARTNER, AND GAVIN TYLER, MANAGING PARTNER.
According to the reviewers, Cripps’ strength lies in being ranked by the two source directories in a number of disciplines, including banking and finance; restructuring, insolvency and corporate recovery work, intellectual property and media, entertainment and sport.
Cripps, based in Tunbridge Wells and London, also ranks first in the Dispute Resolution and Real Estate and Public Sector categories, while preserving its place as
Kent’s Best Performing Law Firm. The firm ranks 2nd for Private Client and Charities.
“We are delighted to continue to be recognised as the county’s leading law firm,” says Gavin Tyler, Cripps’ Managing Partner. “Positive client feedback lies at the heart of these rankings, so it’s encouraging to see that our people are consistently leaving clients happy and building positive relationships.”
“One thing we’re particularly proud of is how our people have adapted and continued to deliver a stellar service during the pandemic,” says Mike Scott, the firm’s Senior Partner. “As we return to a new normal, we’re working with regional businesses and the people behind them to solve their shorter term challenges, while helping them realise their long term goals. We are passionate about supporting the local business economy and feel privileged to work with a diverse range of clients.” ■
Camden Road cut and colour specialists, Rosie Baylis, recently celebrated their 5th birthday, with complimentary consultations and cupcakes from nearby Crumbs & Treacle. “I feel over the moon for our success and am incredibly proud of our team for navigating the last couple of years and maintaining our fantastic reputation and salon experience. In recent years we have discovered our calling and niche, and are super passionate about creating beautiful blondes and balayages.
Our goal is to help our clients achieve low maintenance and beautiful hair for their busy lives, with providing treatments and a five star service to help them relax and feel refreshed and rejuvenated once visiting the salon.
We use vegan and cruelty free products, and all of our colour packages feature the hair strengthener Olaplex and deep conditioning treatments for the hair to both look and feel strong. We are looking forward to welcoming more clients into our five star salon for a relaxing and enjoyable experience and service.” ■
www.rosiebaylishair.co.uk
IMAGE: Rosie Baylis
The team at Fat Face, Calverley Road, marked random acts of kindness day with a whole week of distributing coffee vouchers, discounts and free parking. Manager Nicola shared plenty of smiles, saying “We enjoyed spreading a little extra kindness to our customers at this difficult time.” ■
www.fatface.com
IMAGE: Fat Face Tunbridge Wells
Are you a town centre business with a story to share? We want to hear about your parties, projects, plans and pats on the back. Coverage is free.
Email: sarah-jane@ tunbridgewellstogether.co.uk
HAPPY TO HELPHaving served up meaty meals at venues across town, Roddy Burger is moving into its own premises in Camden Road.
For Roddy Burger, the expansion of an empire is imminent. Already operating from outlets such as the Sussex Arms and Ragged Trousers on the Pantiles, the brand is also opening the doors of its first restaurant.
The location of the venture is the former Delaneys site, in Camden Road. We met owner Richard as he took possession, to hear how plans are progressing.
“I got to a point where I wanted to set up my own bar, in my own premises, to really define the brand and show what we’re all about in our own space.
When we were looking, our number one location of choice was Camden Road. The number of new businesses opening there has given the road a real community feel, and we immediately knew we wanted to be part of that vibe.
At the moment, Camden Road is buzzing, and we knew we’d fit right in - it’s a real hub for food, so it made sense to be here in the up and coming part of town.
We’re hoping people will want to come and visit us, as we provide the best possible burgers - we’ve spent the last year trying to develop our menu, and we think we’re at the point where we’re ready to showcase the products in a restaurant setting rather than as street food.
There will be both eat in and takeaway options, we’re going to have a great range of craft beers as well, curated by Fuggles Beer Cafe and Bottle Shop (Roddy Burger’s new neighbours), so it’s burgers and beers, and wings.
Now that we have the keys, it’s time for the
hard work to start and to give the place our own feel! Expect to see graffiti and quirkiness all round, and a welcoming ambience where anyone will feel at home. The open kitchen will give patrons a first hand view of how we work.
The project is both daunting and exciting! I’ve never really done anything like this before, so I don’t know where to start, there’s lots to do and it’s a big space - it’s all going to be a big learning curve, but I’m looking forward to it at the same time.”
And it’s not just the man with the burger plan who’s keen to get in on the action in this indie haven - Camden Road is thriving.
And so it should be – with a combination of long-established neighbourhood favourites, and new premises throwing their doors open at an encouraging rate, this vibrant street is fast becoming the place to be for town centre indies. It’s the area best known for off the beaten path businesses, that’s actually not too far off the beaten path. The feeling is that of an artisan community where both retro and achingly hip combine – where old school greengrocers trade alongside a children’s shoe store, a lighting showroom, local radio station, plant-based cafes and chocolate gurus. The overwhelming thing that connects the businesses here is passion, for the products they sell, and the community they serve.
Food is another communal thread, with a
“At the moment, Camden Road is buzzing!”
multitude of different eateries for various palettes, ranging from homely Il Vesuvio Italian, to Rendezvous for the gastronomes, passing sour dough specialists Bicycle Bakery and Aussies Black Dog Café. And if it’s just the treats you’re after, Fuggles Bottle Shop and Goupies are on hand to offer craft beers and confectionary.
Grace, of Goupie, the chocolate retailer and coffee shop, elaborates: “There are so many foodie options, it’s almost as if there’s an imaginary checklist for cuisine that someone’s checking off for the road! We have vegan options, French, Italian, Greek, you name it, and they’re all independents like us!”
Geff Stone, owner of The Plant Base, which promotes clean eating, says “I’ve always loved Camden Road. When I opened The Plant Base, it was the only road I considered. It really does have its own bohemian spirit. It’s so great to be a part of a supportive community of independent traders, we really want each other to do well.”
This community approach is what allows Camden Road to feel like a local neighbourhood, despite its central town centre status – and with West Kent Radio now based here, it promises to become a hub for the wider borough, really showing why this unique showcase of entrepreneurial spirit is something to shout about. ■
WOLFIT PET SHOP
www.roddyburger.co.uk
Would you like to see your business featured in this magazine? Coverage is free, with professional photography included, for town centre businesses in the BID area.
Contact: sarah-jane@tunbridge wellstogether.co.uk
Together works with Safe Town Partnership and Kent Police to foil drink drugging.
RTW Together has joined with the Safe Town Partnership, Kent Police and local night time economy venues to fund an initiative to prevent drink spiking.
Stop Topps drink foils can be easily applied at the bar, by server or customer, providing a physical barrier against unwanted substances. The lid is pierced with a straw for access. The RTW Together Business Improvement District has funded a supply of the product to give away free to any town centre pub, bar, restaurant or club who would like them.
BID Director for RTW Together, Sarah-Jane Adams explains “Safety is at a relatively high level in Tunbridge Wells, but prevention is the best option when it comes to an unfortunate and unacceptable nationwide rise in incidents of drink spiking. We’re pleased to be supporting the Safe Town network in rolling these items out for free to our community of licensed premises in the town centre.”
One venue making the most of the offer is The Bedford, in the High Street, where customers
can ask for a Stop Topp. Owner Steve is pleased to be onboard with this BID initiative: “Anything to make people feel safer is a good thing, we have cctv in this venue and projects such as these are a great idea to form a deterrent for this kind of unwanted behaviour.”
Kent Police Licensing Officer for RTW, Andy Forrester, was also on hand to promote the scheme, saying “As the Tunbridge Wells Licensing Officer I fully support anything that promotes safe drinking within the town’s venues. Working together with our partner agencies I hope these Stop Topps will give customers the confidence to enjoy their nights out safely.”
Roz Heaton, Business Crime Manager for the Safe Town Partnership, explains, “Tunbridge Wells is one of the safest places in the county to socialise, however, just like numerous other towns and cities across the country, allegations of spiking made by males and females to police have increased. Licensees take these allegations very seriously and staff at all major venues in the town have been trained on how to respond to help victims and to ensure that evidence is preserved in order to achieve the best possible chance of a prosecution. Additionally, the provision of Stop Topps in venues, funded by RTW Together, has helped to provide customers with reassurance that their drink has remained unadulterated.”
RTW Together is supporting its delivery of Stop Topps with the provision of free drink spiking awareness training for local venues, highlighting how to spot and prevent the act, and what to do in the event that a customer believes their drink has been tampered with.
Town centre businesses who would like a supply of Stop Topps, or to book free places for staff on our online training, are asked to contact sarah-jane@tunbridgewellstogether. co.uk ■
Sharing the love with town centre traders.
Representing town centre businesses, we have a place in our heart for all sorts of traders, big and small, and for the central area we work for - but what is it that our operators love about selling their wares here? We had a heart to heart with a variety of business owners to find out.
“We love Tunbridge Wells, the people, and the buildings and surroundings are beautiful. All the businesses are very friendly and helpful - we only started trading at the beginning of December, and are looking forward to many more happy years here.”
“I love that Tunbridge Wells has so much to offer for families, and being a mother myself, I love to pamper and spoil other mums in the salon, as
it’s not something we do enough for ourselves!”
Rosie, Rosie Baylis Hair, Camden Road
“Here at The Body Shop, a part of the town we love is being able to build strong relationships with our local charity partners. At Christmas we ran a gift collection for IMAGO young carers, and in the past we have worked with the YMCA, women’s refuge and local brownies.”
“At Sankey’s we adore being part of a busy and inspiring hospitality scene here in Tunbridge Wells. We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to celebrating special occasions such as Mother’s Day and Easter.”
Matthew, Sankey’s, Mount Ephraim
“I’ve lived in Tunbridge Wells for 2 years, and I love the local shops that have been here for years, and the fact it is a very green town. It is a challenge to trade here, as there is a big diversity of local businesses that have been here a long time. I like to make my customers feel at home as our shop is a little family business.”
“Here at Lush we love being part of the Tunbridge Wells community, because its welcoming and inclusive of its members. The town is always full of life, and there is always a friendly face to help you. Our current favourite shops are Renaissance Fashion Boutique, for their range of affordable clothing, Goupie Chocolate cafe for our sweet fixes, and Bird & Blend tea shop have been stocking us up with delicious beverages for a while.”
“I realise how lucky I am to live and work in Tunbridge Wells. The schools are outstanding, the people are kind and my customers are fantastic at supporting independents. The town has beautiful architectural features and I’m so proud to be part of a team of businesses that make Tunbridge Wells a little bit different from other towns.”
To view the full set of our love filled campaign photos, visit us on Instagram - rtwtogether, or head to twitter.com/rtwtogether
Would your town centre business like to star in one of our social media campaigns for free? Join our Whatsapp group, or email sarah-jane@tunbridgewellstogether.co.uk ■
Looking for dog-friendly places to visit with your pooch?
Very good boy and local celebrity Pip the golden retriever sniffs out the pawfect Pantiles walkies.
Pip, Pip, hooray! It’s time to stretch my paws and feel the wind in my fur, as I visit the Pantiles. As a dog about town, I’m already well known around here, but I’m making even more new friends as I explore for RTW Together.
I even met Holly at Zero Waste Company, who are dog friendly - as are so many premises in Tunbridge Wells town centre. Because who could resist a boop of my snout and a stroke of my golden locks! RTW Together will be launching some town centre schemes for man’s best friend soon, keep your ears flapping to hear all!
Follow Pip’s adventures at twitter. com/pipthedog5 and on Instagram, @pip.the.golden.retriever
RESTING MY PAWS AT CONVENIENT CHAPEL PLACE.
Chapel Place
THIS COBBLED SIDE STREET IS INTERESTING FOR BRAVE EXPLORERS LIKE ME - AND OPPOSITE THE COMMON TOO!
Castle Street
HEHE, CAN’T CATCH ME! Chapel Place
ALL SMILES ON THE PANTILES.
PIP THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER Visiting the Pantiles
Ask Claudia Wiegand of Glass by Claudia, Monson Road, about making glass, and you’ll get an expert lesson. Even in casual conversation, her boundless energy and enthusiasm for this art form shines as brightly as the work she produces.
“I’ve been fusing glass for 17 years now, and before that I was a mosaicist. I’ve always loved glass, because it’s a fascinating material. There is something magical about glass, its translucency, the myriad of colours and reflections, and of course its unique amorphous composition which allows it to turn from solid to liquid then back to solid!
I was always ‘arty’ as a child but went to uni to study linguistics then worked in the telecoms industry for 10 years. When my daughter started pre-school, I was lucky I didn’t have to go back to work and decided to sign up for various craft workshops such as silk painting, stained glass, silversmithing and mosaics. I became a mosaicist, making murals and commissions for gardens, kitchens and bathrooms. I really loved it but mosaics is so time consuming, I could only do a couple of projects a year and I was keen to learn something new involving glass.
For my 40th birthday, my best friends gave me a voucher to go on a weekend glass fusing workshop in Bristol, where I learnt the basics of this fascinating art form. I instantly fell in love with it, said goodbye to mosaics and never looked back.
I got my kiln as a birthday present from my mum and dad, and that’s how I got started, in the garage.
I was just doing jewellery at the time, developed slowly, and took some stalls at events such as the National Wedding Show, and at a trade show in London. The buyer of
the National Trust at the time was looking for new suppliers, and they selected me. Thanks to that, I could open a studio and it progressed from there.
Life happened, and I closed the studio. I met my second husband, and it was thanks to him that I restarted. The kiln was under a tarpaulin, and he encouraged me to take up the craft again. I took another studio, with a shop, so that I could actually make and sell on the premises, which for me is the best formula because I can sell to customers who want something bespoke, made to order. Visitors and customers can see me working, get an insight into what glass fusing is about and enjoy a unique shopping experience.
I had five kilns at the time, so I had really expanded, so to find studio space was tricky, and they stayed in storage for a good six months! We moved to Tunbridge Wells around five years ago, and this is my fifth move since coming here, each time a bigger and bigger studio. I joined some galleries, and did some exhibitions, but I knew I just had to reopen a space where I can both make and sell, and that was the beginning of 2020.
The shop was empty, and had been completely refurbished by the landlord, and I thought, I’m going to go for it!
I basically opened right in the middle of the lockdown, September 2020 - open, closed, open, closed. But I have to say, right from day one, it was a real success. It’s been amazing.
“I said goodbye to mosaics and never looked back!”
December 2021 was my best ever December, in the past 20 years.
Where the shop is situated, I feel as though I’m amongst the creative sector of town, close to Camden Road, and Royal Victoria Place, and with the Amelia opening here, which is great. It’s brilliantly situated because there are car parks and people walking past, so I have really good footfall. But the perfect balance, as I’m not so overrun that I don’t have time to do my work!
I’ve still got people coming from further afield, but I’ve also got local customers from Tunbridge Wells, and a lot of returning trade.
I enjoy being part of the community here, I’m a partner of the TN Card, I know my neighbours very well, and go to Saltmarsh to buy my materials. I was commissioned by the Camden Road group CREATE to produce glass charms to go in the windows
I really want to offer something to anyone who loves glass, whatever their age and budget, so I make a whole variety of small to large decorative and functional pieces, ranging from small decorative items to tableware, home accessories, wall artwork in various sizes, 3D statement pieces, splash backs and even door panels. I really enjoy the challenge and opportunity to create something completely bespoke and personal for my customers. We often discuss a concept together and when making a completely new design, I always fire colour swatches and samples before creating the final piece, to ensure my customers are happy and involved at every stage of the commission process.
I now also offer a selection of ceramics and sterling silver jewellery made locally by artist
of Camden Road businesses, and I made over 100, which was great, I met a lot of business owners that way.
Since opening my shop, I am supporting local businesses around it more and more by shopping and dining out locally.
friends. I select work which complements my glassware and this gives even more variety and choice for my customers.
I use specialist fusible glass, which comes in a fantastic range of colours and accessories. I cut sheet glass in the same way as you would cut tiles, by scoring and snapping pieces. Every bit of glass has to be cleaned to avoid contamination that results in devitrification (where the glass loses its glossy surface), then it’s all a matter of building layers of the different coloured pieces and assembling your design in the kiln to be fired.
I also use paint, glass granules called ‘frits’ and other accessories such as metal foils to embellish my work before it is fused. The
“December 2021 was my best December for 20 years!”
kiln is just like a big oven, where glass is taken to over 800 degrees Celsius, melts to a fudge consistency and the layers of cut glass fuse together to create a single piece of work. The whole process takes about 20 hours as glass doesn’t like thermal shock and needs to go through a number of heating and cooling phases to avoid breakage. Pieces come out of the kiln flat and need to go back in over a ceramic mould for a lower temperature firing cycle called ‘slumping’, which gives them their final shape, such as a bowl, wave or curve. During that cycle, the glass softens just enough to slump in or wrap around the mould thanks to gravity. I always compare glass fusing to cooking and baking... lots of slicing, dicing, layering and sprinkling involved before the baking stage!
Opening the kiln is like opening a surprise gift and I love it every single time.
My designs are predominantly abstract and inspired by nature or simple shapes like circles, squares and curves. I love bold colours but also subtle hues and monochromes, and like to explore different combinations, often influenced by the design itself, the seasons or a customer’s
request. I love trees and have done since my early teenage years when I first visited England and was fascinated by the ‘dead’ trees along the roads. I paint intricate skeleton trees on a lot of my glass work and even personalise them with names and dates for special occasions like births, weddings and anniversaries.
I like playing around with different fusing temperatures to give texture to my work. I also enjoy discovering new ways of working with glass and attend masterclasses every year to learn specific techniques, which allow me to come up with new designs.” ■
www.glassbyclaudia.com
Local children’s charity, Tree of Hope, is branching out with a move to a town centre office, in Camden Road.
months, which is really exciting, although we’ve been based in Tunbridge Wells before, down by the Pantiles. We owned the building, which was a shop and cafe, but when our tenant gave up his lease, we gave up our lease in Tonbridge and came back - we thought why don’t we live in our own building, and here we are!
We recognise a lot of the faces here, it’s nice to be back in a busy area - it feels as though Tunbridge Wells has a bigger community, and wants to work together. Manic Ceramix and Vittle & Swig have been really supportive of us. We’re grateful to Royal Victoria Place shopping centre, for offering us space in their windows and allowing us to put on events there. We held a Christmas fayre in the Pop In Pop Up unit, which is a great free community venue. Everyone seems to want to get things moving again and promote the town centre after a difficult couple of years.
“We’re a children’s healthcare charity, helping families fundraise for treatments, therapies and equipment that aren’t available through the NHS. We support families to raise money by setting up campaigns, helping with marketing resources and being that friendly ear on the end of the phone. We work with service providers, suppliers, hospitals such as Great Ormond Street and consultants working with new, innovative treatments and operations, to ensure families are proceeding with safe and authentic options.
We operated from Tonbridge for 5 years, and we’ve been in Camden Road for a couple of
The fact that as a small charity, we’ve survived the pandemic, is miraculous. That time really changed the dynamic of what we do for families - of course a lot of services closed, very suddenly, so families were stuck in a place where they had nobody supporting them. Our enquiries went through the roofwe put equipment into their homes, linked with therapists to deliver services over Zoom, and helped teach parents and guardians to offer treatments to children themselves.
People felt really lost, so it was about just being there. We have hundreds of vulnerable families who have all got children with health conditions, and it was a scary time.
“Tunbridge Wells has a community that wants to work together.”
Fundraising was difficult, so this year we’re going ahead with the events that were cancelled in 2020, two years behind but the hope is we will continue to bring in income and involve the community.
We’re always looking for collaborations, and would love to work with local businesses, we want to work in a joined up way and not just take.
As part of our 30th birthday celebration this year, we are hosting lots of fundraising events. Since we are only a small team, we are looking for volunteers to help support us, to make sure our events are fun and a great success. We have events planned for evenings, weekdays or weekends so something to suit everyone.
If you would like to know more, please contact Karen Warner – Karen.Warner@treeofhope.org. uk” ■
www.treeofhope.org.uk
Follow the crumbs to Hudsons, Chapel Place.
WWW.HUDSONSBISTRO.CO.UKWith its cobbled streets and festoon lighting, Chapel Place is a cosy corner of town to not only shop, but to make a sugar stop at hidden gem Hudsons Bistro. Manager Courtney spills the coffee beans.
“I love the atmosphere of Chapel Place and the types of people that come down. Because there’s a hotel nearby, you get a wide range of customers. Everyone that comes in is so happy and bubbly, I feel like the regulars keep us open.
We’ve only been here a year and a half. Because we were operating as a takeaway only business during the pandemic, it was hard for us to make a name for ourselves. I’ve been manager for around 7 months now, so I’m trying to grow the business.
The coffee is our speciality, I put a lot of love
and time into my coffee - I really enjoy doing latte art, and care about the quality. Our food is completely home cooked and traditional, not fast food but fresh food.
And we should stand out amongst other businesses, we’re so cute and aesthetic!” ■
www.hudsonsbistro.co.uk
Let them (us!) eat cake - to support our town centre coffee shops, restaurants and hotels, the RTW Together Business Improvement District will be hosting the Royal Tunbridge Wells Cake Off, over the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June. We’ll be asking hospitality venues to create a cake that royally represents our town, and letting you, the public, taste the entries and crown the winner. Follow us on social media to see when details are announced.
We increasingly feel more part of the Tunbridge Wells community, and I certainly think that due to Covid, people now realise that the idea of ‘if you don’t use it, you lose it’ is tangible, they’ve actually been able to see it. Some places have not been able to withstand, but the longevity of the shop has helped to keep us going. We all need to support local, and people have seen what can
Like most people, we have had to look at the business - we’ve now got a brand new website, where you can buy from us direct. But we still want people to physically come into store where
RTW Together welcomes guest columnist, Jess Gibson of the TN card, a Tunbridge Wells reward scheme, to share her tips for expertly exploring our town centre’s independent scene.
Images: Jess Gibson
The TN card is proud to support over 500 independent businesses in Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Sevenoaks, whilst raising funds for West Kent Mind. Members pay £2.99 a month or £24.99 a year to access hundreds of rewards for supporting local. For more information visit thetncard.com or download the TN card app on iOS and Google Play.
Tunbridge Wells is full of delights and not just those found on the beautiful colonnades of The Pantiles, or along bustling Camden Road. Wander up many a side street and you’re sure to find an independent or two with a rich history and story to tell. Since launching the TN card two years ago, I’ve had the great pleasure of discovering many incredible independents offering just that, and the wonderful local people behind them.
Here are four Tunbridge Wells town centre independents that everyone should visit, and who reward TN card members for supporting local with an exclusive offer.
Zaven’s, 28 Mount Ephraim, TN4 8A
One of my favourite shops in Tunbridge Wells is without doubt the eclectic and unique Zaven’s on Mount Ephraim. Owner Christina puts heart and soul into creating an ever-changing emporium of art, antiques and vintage furniture, flowers and
JESS GIBSON
greeting cards, and works with many of our local makers and artists. Zaven’s also boasts a small coffee shop and a sunny courtyard where you can relax with homemade cake or one of Christina’s legendary brownies after shopping.
TN card members receive 10% discount on food and drink at Zaven’s, including ice cream.
Casa Café, 5 Castle Street, TN1 1XJ
Follow the cobbles of Castle Street away from the High Street and you’ll discover Casa Café, a small Portugese café full of heart. The café is well loved for its good, honest food, rustic charm and owner Emanuel’s fantastic hospitality – nothing is too much trouble. It’s therefore no surprise that Casa Cafe regularly takes top billing on Trip Advisor’s list of Tunbridge Wells eateries.
Emanuel has recently introduced a small retail space offering authentic Portugese foods to take away.
TN card members receive 10% off food and drink at Casa Café.
The Wood Room, 29 Lower Walk, TN2 5TD
Veer off the thoroughfare of The Pantiles and you’ll find The Wood Room, a father and daughter business offering bespoke furniture and mirror frames made on site, as well as a range of lighting and upholstery.
Below the shop is a workroom where owner John creates beautifully crafted and made to treasure bespoke furniture and mirror frames. Now in his seventies, he has been working in the trade since he was fifteen. Above him in the shop, Amanda has pulled together an exquisite collection of soft furnishings, hand-painted clocks, candlesticks, gifts and beeswax candles.
TN card members receive complimentary beeswax tea lights when spending £15 or more at Wood Room.
Fourteen Arrows Coffee Lounge, 69 Grosvenor Road, TN1 2AY
Six years on from opening as a basement tattoo lounge, Fourteen Arrows has evolved to incorporate a fantastic coffee lounge filled with art, neon and eighties nostalgia. Fourteen Arrows is the perfect hangout on a rainy afternoon with its record player and LPs, book swap, retro arcade machines and board games. Everyone is made to feel welcome and the team also serve a mean coffee.
TN card members receive 10% off food and drink at Fourteen Arrows. ■
“Wander up a side street and you’ll find an independent with a story to tell.”
from elite athletes to seniors and those working through rehabilitation. We also do pre and post natal.
We’re quite a different business post Covid. We have a lot of clients working from home, so they come to us at lunchtimes or in the morning, a little bit less in the evening, and in smaller groups, no more larger classes because of social distancing. We used to have 8 people in a room, but we only have 3 now, with space between them, and people stay on their machines so there is no crossover.
Pleasant Road, as Bora
Studio stretches across another floor.
There is probably no piece of Pilates equipment more famous and fabulous than the Pilates reformer- and for good reason! The reformer makes a dramatic impression when you first see one, and even more dramatic change in your body when you use it. One of the best things about the reformer is its versatility. The reformer offers all the benefits of Pilates including overall strength,
“We are a pilates studio, led by an osteopath, myself, with osteopathy and massage therapy at the top of the building, and two floors of pilates. We will be opening a new floor, Studio 2, at the end of March.
All of our classes are currently full, with waiting lists, which is why we’re opening the new space. It means we’ll be able to welcome new clients and meet demand!
We’re a team of four, and all of our instructors are highly qualified. We welcome everyone,
flexibility, coordination, and balance. These things, in turn, lead to daily life improvements like better posture, graceful and efficient movement, and for many, relief from pain associated with physical imbalances such as back pain.
I love where the studio is, we’re in the centre of town, we can pop in and out for coffee, and there’s a really lovely community. I just love Tunbridge Wells. It really looks as though the town centre is coming back to life, it seems as though nearly all the shops are taken now on Mount Pleasant. It’s really nice to see new businesses opening.”
■
“It looks as though the town centre is coming back to life!”
An exercise expansion is happening on Mount
It’s been a tough couple of years for businessesbut with normality seemingly aroung the corner, what are town centre traders hoping for in 2022?
To mark the start of the new year, RTW Together ran a social media campaign highlighting 22 businesses on the first 22 days of 2022! To coincide with this, we asked owners and staff across the town centre to tell us what hopes and plans they have for the year ahead.
“We are feeling encouraged by the upturn in business witnessed at the end of 2021, and look forward to this continuing throughout 2022. We will continue to provide our customers with the high quality service they are used to. We hope that we now have a path out of this pandemic and that people stay safe.”
Ian, Minuteman Press, Camden Road
“We are so lucky to be part of a fantastic
community of customers who want to support us and help us grow. It’s great to meet all our local town centre businesses and work together to help each other out.”
“The town is growing back after an intermission and I believe it will be better than ever.”
“As spring brings the joy of new life, it is with hope that 2022 brings life back to our businesses once again. We have all just about survived the last few years but in 2022 let’s all thrive together.”
To view the full set of our 22 of 2022 campaign photos, visit us on Instagram - rtwtogether, or head to twitter.com/rtwtogether
Would your town centre business like to star in one of our social media campaigns for free? Join our Whatsapp group, or email sarah-jane@ tunbridgewellstogether.co.uk ■
The TAW salon team are washing traditional chemical practices right out of their hair.
Opening during a global pandemic has been a snip for Thomas and Natalie, the partnership behind TAW hair salon at 68 The Pantiles. In fact, as champions of natural products and innovative new systems, it’s the less than green standards of the industry that are proving to be their biggest challenge.
“We found the shop in January 2020, so right before the pandemic kicked in, which is never a good time for a close contact business! We didn’t realise the shop was in quite a state of disrepair, so we embarked on peeling back the layers of time and history. As we started work, we found hidden things buried behind the walls, wooden panelling, mirrors and signs, so we incorporated them into the design. Rather than ripping it out and modernising, we wanted to retain those features. It used to be an old bakery, and there was a fire here in the early 1900s, so a lot of what we were removing was black and charred with soot!
The Pantiles is such a historic area, we wanted to keep the things that we found, but
modernise in the way that we work. For example, we have a plasma generator, which gives us a clean air system in the shop.
During the renovation, we worked the new way of operating into the design - we were able to space things out without having to retrofit, making things more comfortable for our clients and having them feel they are in a safe environment.
I had my own salon in London for 10 years, and was Creative Director at Aveda before that. With TAW we’re currently around 9 months behind schedule with everything that’s happened, but now as we’re coming out of Covid, we’re seeing a really good response.
The Pantiles are a little bit like a seaside town, in the summer you can’t move down here! And there are so many new businesses, when we opened I think there were 9 empty units, and now there are 4, and there’s a new Michelin star restaurant opening next door to us! It’s nice to see it being regenerated. The new development has helped as well.
There’s definitely a community spirit, and we’re all friends - we entered into the Christmas window display competition, but didn’t win! Everyone’s been very helpful and accomodating, and we’ve really been welcomed into the arms of the place.
It’s a real hub, and such an atmosphere, and in the winter it quietens down. That’s something we want to develop, using that time for new campaigns and new work. We do a lot of photoshoots, and Natalie does makeup.
“Even our gowns and towels are compostable!”
Our ethos is based on renewable and sustainable resources, we try and use chemical free products and we’re concious of our carbon footprint. It’s not a matter of greenwashing, we care about the planet.
We’re essentially plastic free, and all of the products we use are plant-based, even our hair colour, so it doesn’t contain chemicals you associate with carcinogens. Even our gowns and our towels are compostable!
We’re 99% waste free, and everything else we recycle. We support local communities who supply our essential oils, so it’s about giving something back.
We wanted to bring something a bit different, something that we know people want, and combine that with an honest and intelligent approach to the work that we do. We want to protect the skin and look after the scalp as well as making people’s hair look good. We’re polluting the planet with rubbish in the ocean and plastic that we can’t dispose of, and we want to work with things that aren’t dangerous to people.
We have to look at the future of our industry, it’s our shared responsibility. Any little part is going to contribute to the greater good.” ■ www.thomastaw.com
Would you like to see your business featured in this magazine? Coverage is free, with professional photography included, for town centre businesses in the BID area.
Contact: sarah-jane@tunbridge wellstogether.co.uk
There’s a basement takeover at Denny’s Place.
2022 is a special year for Denny’s Place Barbers in Grosvenor Road, marking 22 years of trading. Second generation proprietor, Storm, is bringing more than just hair cuts to the area, with a resident crafting company moving in on the lower level.
“14 Arrows Tattoos used to occupy the downstairs area of the barbers shop, and they’ve moved up the road to bigger premises, which we wholeheartedly support and congratulate them on - but that’s left the space empty, and we wanted to find someone that would fit the space, and we came across Hettie asking on Facebook for a room to run craft workshops from GOSH events from. If the space can be used and used well, and looked after, then that’s ideal.
For the first 13 years of Denny’s Place, it was my dad running things and I took over when
he passed, so I’ve managed the business for 8 years. Overall it’s an incredible milestone to get to, we’re probably one of the oldest businesses in Tunbridge Wells town centre now to have survived this long, so it is a real privilege, and we’re quite humbled by it.
We still have customers who have been coming for 22 years, and we’ve seen their lives progress and grow, we’ve been there for the good, the bad, the terrible, the amazing - they’re our friends. The relationships we’ve built over that time is what we pride ourselves on. When you go to a barbers, the one expectation is that you will get your hair cut, and we can guarantee you that, but we’re not just a barbers shop, we’re a family.
Since I’ve taken over we’ve revamped, and I love my shop, I think it’s gorgeous! There’s still work to do but we’re getting there - I’d love to know
what my dad would have thought of it as our styles were very different.
We’d wanted to celebrate our 20th anniversary, but... something happened! And then it was the 21st birthday, but Covid was still there - so we do feel as though we’ve left it a bit too long now to mark the occasion. I did say I would do something small and intimate for the people who have always supported the shop, but with Denny’s Fest every year, it’s hard making the time to get together.
The achievement of Denny’s Fest (an annual
charitable live music event) is something we hold dear to our hearts, and to do something like that, not only in memory of my dad and his legacy, but for our community, it’s amazing, we love it. Last year afterwards we had a barbeque for everyone involved, and it was so nice to say thank you, and regroup, and talk about what we’d done. So maybe we’ll add a bit of extra pizzazz to that this year to mark the fact that we’re 22.
Tunbridge Wells has been good to us, and we hope it continues to be good to us!” ■
www.dennysplace.co.uk
