times of tunbridge wells 6th january 2016

Work with young people around the world recognised in New Year’s list

Queen honours jewellerwith top personal award

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All the news that matters Local, National and InternationalWednesday, January 6, 2016

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By Adam Hignett

TUNBRIDGE Wells jeweller Harry Collins is to receive one of the highest personal honours from the Queen as part of the New Year’s Honours List.

The founder of the High Street jew-ellers G. Collins & Sons will become a Member of The Royal Victorian Order (MVO) by the personal appointment of Her Majesty.

Since 2000 he has been the Queen’s personal jeweller, as well as being the Crown Jeweller between 2007 and 2012.

RewardingHowever, Mr Collins is being recog-

nised for his contribution to the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, an organisation which he headed as Chair-man for three years before recently step-ping down from the role.

Like its British counterpart, the pro-gramme was set up with the aim of helping young people around the world reach their full potential. Many come from poor backgrounds.

It was a role Mr Collins relished and described as ‘very rewarding’, which is one of the reasons he has continued to maintain his links with the charity.

Speaking exclusively to the Times, Mr Collins said: “The job is completely vol-

untary and helps change the world for the better.

“My time with the charity has left me with an unbelievable amount of touch-ing stories.”

One of his favourites was when he sat next to a boy in India from a deprived background who, due to the rigid caste system which still dominates much of the country, had always been told he would not achieve much in life.

Thanks, though, to the efforts of the charity the boy grew up to achieve global acclaim.

“He is now a highly successful photog-rapher based in New York”, Mr Collins said.

His role as Chairman of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award would not have come about if Mr Collins had not already had close links with the Royal Family.

As a frequent visitor to Buckingham Palace, where he has a workshop, Mr Collins was approached to take on the role.

“One day they just asked me,” he explained. “It is quite a big job as the charity covers 130 countries and in 2015 helped more than one million children.”

A jeweller by trade since he left school 45 years ago, it is his passion for antique jewellery which is first and foremost.

POLICE CHIEF WANTS MORE ARMED

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Jeweller Harry Collins

INSIDE

MUSICForum becomes not for profitand considers crowdfunding

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BUSINESSLaw firm revenues jump 10per cent in ‘marked uptick’

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PROPERTYStep inside this £3millionmansion that’s up for sale

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EDUCATIONScience is saddled with anoutdated reputation

PAGE 15Work with young people around the world recognised in New Year’s list

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Wednesday 6th January 2016

2 � NEWS

IF THE end of the year is the time for refl ecting on the past, then the start of the year is all about looking forward to what the future holds.

Tunbridge Wells is a town unique in its constant ability to evolve. It is a place which never stands still or stagnates but thrives, and it is our sincere belief that it will continue to do so in 2016.

Many exciting projects are expected to come to the fore over the next 12 months. For a start, the people of Tunbridge Wells will rightly be expecting some progress on the development of the old cinema site.

The notorious ‘grot spot’ has been a blight on the town for 15 years, and its redevelopment has suffered countless setbacks and false dawns.

But we believe 2016 may fi nally be the end of the saga. With the council and the developers working in tandem, this new era of co-operation is likely to bear fruit.

The long neglected Corn Exchange on The Pantiles will be transformed into a Curzon cinema, breaking the near-monopoly currently enjoyed by the out of town Odeon. It will also provide a boost to the Lower Pantiles, which has struggled to defi ne itself in relation to the bustling promenade adjacent to it.

Groundwork could begin on a new premises for the borough council on Mount Pleasant Avenue, with the long-term prospects of the old civic complex open for debate.

Other ideas mooted could see the town chosen to host a university, or perhaps even see the submission of plans to open a casino. Expect the latter to divide opinion.

With the town in line for half a billion pounds worth of investment over the next fi ve years, 2016 will be the year in which decisions on many major projects get given the go-ahead.

Not everything will be welcome, with business owners expecting to fi nd out for certain how much higher their rates are due to be next year.

And the ongoing battle between campaigners and Gatwick will surely intensify after the government’s announcement that no decision will now be made until the summer.

In local politics, a third of council seats will be up for grabs on May 5 but they are unlikely to produce any shock to the Conservative-dominated status quo.

Nationally, their signifi cance will be overshadowed by elections in other parts of the United Kingdom.

London is set to see a knife-edge fi ght between Labour and the Conservatives, which, combined with elections in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be viewed by many as a litmus test of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.

But perhaps the most signifi cant development which could occur this year would be the holding of a referendum on Britain’s future within the EU.

With polls showing the support for staying in Europe shrinking, 2016 could see a once-in-a-lifetime shift in the way Britain defi nes itself in an ever more turbulent world.

But one thing will not change in 2016, which is that you the reader and you the advertiser will be able to continue to rely on the Times to provide all the news that matters.

Richard Moore, Editorial Director

EDITOR’S COMMENT

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“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language and next year’s words await another voice ”

T.S Elliot

QUOTE UNQUOTE

By Adam Hignett [email protected]

A BUSINESS which has traded on Mount Pleasant for almost 30 years, and been run by two close friends, is due to close by the end of the month after declining health and a changing retail environment took their toll.

Hang Ups, the picture framing shop situ-ated just a few dozen yards from the station, was founded in September 1986 by Mike Blacker, a former insurer, who wished to set up a company of his own.

He was joined a year later by a friend he had met at the Skinners’ parents’ associa-tion, Lorie Murphy, and the two have run the shop together ever since.

“I am very sad to see it close. It will leave a major hole in both our lives,” said Mr Blacker, who admitted his ‘advanced age’ and medical reasons were a major consider-ation behind the decision to close.

Other factors have also played a part, he said, adding: “When I first opened up the place I was unfamiliar with retail. I did not know which way was up and which way was down.

“But retail has changed, first with the open-ing of Royal Victoria Place, which altered shopping patterns, and then the internet.”

He was also critical of the failure to redevelop the old cinema site, which has led to footfall being diverted to the other side of the road, which is dominated by the aesthetic Regency buildings.

He said: “It has been disgusting the way they have let that drag on for so long. People are obviously going to prefer

crossing the road where there is more to look at and it is nicer.”

But the shop has survived for so long because of the quality of its work and its very loyal customer base, he said.

And he praised their landlord for allowing them to extend their lease until closure on its original terms, despite it being up for renewal in September.

Mrs Murphy was equally saddened by the imminent closure of the business she has

helped to build. She said: “It feels terrible, but you have to

embrace change. I have made so many good friends here it will be sad to leave it all behind.

“We may not have been the cheapest framers out there but we are the best.”

But most of all they will miss working with each other.

Mr Blacker said: “People would come in and think we were a married couple. But that may be because we argued like one.”

Hanging up the closed sign

Thursday

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‘I took this shot when I saw lots of fl ooded fi elds in Penshurst on Monday’ Marcin Bialas

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CINEMA SITEWatch this space

HANG UPSLeft to right Lori Murphy,Michael Blacker, Bridget Millar

LOCAL NEWS 3

NEWS IN BRIEF

Round Table wants to give away £20,000ROYAL Tunbridge Wells Round Table has launched its annual giveaway to local good causes and this year it will be £20,000.

The group has handed out more than £65,000 to local groups during the past four years. A bucket collection at the Dunorlan Fireworks in November raised £1,500.

Round Table member Graeme Dewar said: “The more local charities that can benefi t from our funds the better, and we encourage requests from all the different societies and individuals in need of funds within our community.”

The closing date for requests is January 25, 2016 and there will be a presentation of the cheques at The Royal Wells Hotel on March 12, 2016.

Anyone wishing to be considered for the giveaway should go to their website and provide background about why the money is required and the ideal amount of the donation plus contact details. Please visit:www.RTWRT.org

Centre open for longer THE Pickering Cancer Drop-in Centre is to open up for an additional day to help cope with increasing demand.

From January 18, the number of days people will be able to attend the centre, which supports those whose lives have been touched by cancer, will go up from three to four.

Currently the centre is open, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, with Monday now being added.

Centre co-founder Polly Taylor said: “We have so many people now coming into see us looking for help we decided to open for another day. Our big thanks to all the volunteers and supporters for making it possible.” For more details visit: www. pickeringcancercentre.org.uk

Ice rink big success MORE than 34,000 skaters were in festive mood for the Calverley Grounds ice rink over the Christmas period.

Adam Chalmers, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council partnerships & engagement manager, hailed it as a success. He said: “Over 34,000 people skated at the ice rink this season. It’s too early to give a defi nitive assessment of the success of this year’s operation as the rink only closed on Sunday and a full review now needs to be undertaken.”

Times pop-up returns THE Times of Tunbridge Wells pop-up newsroom is back after our festive break and will be hosted at the new Ismail Café in the Royal Victoria Place food court.

So if there is a story you think we should know, or an event you want to promote, come and visit us between 10am and 2pm.


Crowds fl ock to Hug-Many

More pictures on pages 42-43

“It was a great honour to be asked to recreate the crown which has ‘Made by Harry Collins’ on it”

Mr Collins said: “I went straight into the trade after school as an apprentice. It is a job where you are dealing with happy moments and love tokens, like engagement and wedding rings.

“I have a great love of antique jewellery so my workshop at my shop has been set up for restoring early pieces.”

His appointment caused a stir in the wider industry, as Mr Collins was replacing Garrard’s which had been awarded the position during the reign of Queen Victoria in 1843.

One of Mr Collins’ greatest honours was being asked, in 2012, to recreate the crown of Henry VIII. The original was destroyed by Oliver Cromwellin 1649.

Paid for by the Historic Royal Palaces, which runs Hampton Court where the crown is on display to the general public, it was bedecked with 344 gems, consisting of rubies, sapphires and pearls.

Its recreation took months of labour and stayed true to Tudor metal-working methods which involved hand twisting gold wire.

Mr Collins said: “It was a great honour to be asked to recreate the crown which has ‘Made by Harry Collins’ on it, something which will still be there for my great grandchildren and future gen-erations to see.

“In my profession, there is nowhere else to go.”

Continued from page 1

THE Royal Victorian Order is an order of knighthood established by Queen Victoria in 1896 to recognise distinguished personal service to the Monarch.

Admission to the order remains in the personal gift of the monarch and is therefore different to other orders of chivalry which come from government recommendations.

The Queen is the highest member of the order, followed by the Grand Master, a post held by Anne, Princess Royal, since 2007.

Each rank holder is also awarded the Royal Victorian Medal in either gold, silver, or bronze. Promotion within the various ranks of the order, which range from knights to members, is possible.

A gathering of the members is held every four years at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.

AS PERSONAL Jeweller to the Queen, Harry Collins is responsible for maintaining the Monarch’s private collection of jewellery.

Unlike the Crown Jewels, which are housed in the Tower of London, this collection of over 300 pieces, said to worth around £35 million, belongs to the Queen herself and not the institution of The Crown.

They are, therefore, not worn on state occasions such as coronations or the opening of Parliament, but instead are worn during formal occasions such as banquets.

G. Collins & Sons has also been responsible for the creation of more recent pieces, such as the pear shaped tanzanite and diamond pendant and earrings worn by the Duchess of Cambridge this year and made to match her engagement ring.

What is the award? What is the role?

RECOGNISEDHarry Collinsoutside his High Street shop

to Hug-ManyDAME KELLY HOLMESThe double Olympic Champion entertains the crowd on The Pantiles as they wait for the chimes of midnight on New Year’s Eve

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4 � LOCAL NEWS

Neill Barston [email protected]

KENT’S Police and Crime Commissioner Ann Barnes has issued a plea to resi-dents for increased funding for more armed officers.

Her unprecedented call for households to pay an extra £5 each comes as the financially-stretched force faces a 0.6% cut to its government grant this year, leaving a £13.5 million funding shortfall.

According to the Commissioner, the additional charge would be delivered through a rise in council tax. This would enable the recruitment of a further 37 armed officers within Kent.

Mrs Barnes said the measure was nec-essary as a public safety priority, ensur-ing the county’s police force is of ade-quate size and able to protect its borders with Europe.

However, she confirmed there would be public consultation on the issue this month before a final decision is made.

The Commissioner said the govern-ment’s funding was “much better than had been expected” in George Osborne’s recent financial review. But she high-lighted the fact successive police budget cuts had resulted in 544 fewer Kent offi-cers and 612 fewer support staff than five years ago.

She said: “We have to put 37 more fire-arms officers on the books, so that is why I’m launching a consultation about raising an average family’s council tax precept by £5 for the year to pay for them. Only the 10 forces in the country with the lowest council tax precepts have been given this option, and even then people in Kent would still be pay-ing much less for their policing service than most people.

“The Government has made it clear it is expecting Commissioners to increase their council tax precept as far as they are being allowed to do, but as far as I am concerned it is a matter for the peo-ple of Kent to make their views known before any decision is made here in the county.”

She added that £3.5 million of existing financial reserves would be used towards

paying for the new officers. There are also plans for further efficiency savings within the force.

She also explained that there remained a number of emerging challenges on budgets, such as tackling child sexual exploitation and cyber-crime, as well as an ongoing terrorist threat.

Mrs Barnes said a terror attack in the UK “remained highly likely” which had prompted the Home Secretary to request all police forces should double the num-ber of armed officers in their ranks.

Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, expressed his con-cerns that the council tax increase was unnecessary.

GuidanceHe said: “Budgets are tight throughout

the public sector and it should be incum-bent on all those pulling the purse-strings to concentrate on delivering bet-ter value out of existing budgets rather than seeking to raise taxes. A higher precept would hit the poorest hardest and should be resisted while there is capacity for making reasonable savings elsewhere.”

Labour parliamentary candidate for Tunbridge Wells, Kevin Kerrigan, said he would follow guidance from senior police over numbers of armed officers, but believed any addi-tional costs were a government responsibility.

He said: “Over the last five years the government have cut some 18% from polic-ing budgets and this has resulted in

thousands of police officers jobs being lost across all UK forces.

“National security is the responsibil-ity of the government and it is not good enough for Tory ministers to wash their hands of national security and push the responsibility on to local councils.”

Liberal Democrat borough councillor Hugh Patterson supported the idea of council tax being used to directly fund more police firearms officers.

He said: “I think taxpayers should in fact be consulted even more on what their tax is going towards.

“I don’t have an issue with funding going towards more police officers, but I am not sure armed officers would be as much of an issue in rural area like ours compared with protecting shoppers at Bluewater, or places such as Medway.”

The consultation will end Friday Janu-ary 15, 2016. To register your views visit www.kent-pcc.gov.uk/take-part.html

Residents asked to pay £5 each to put more guns on our streets

How many armed officers does Kent have?Kent Police presently has 74 armed officers operating across the county. The government is calling for a 50% increase in firearms capacity within each force.

Is this the only police authority in England asking for this extra £5? No. The 10 forces charging the lowest council tax precepts have

been offered the opportunity by Government to raise their precepts by £5 per property. There is no stipulation on what the extra £5 per household must be spent on - but in Kent the intention would be to use

the extra money to increase firearms numbers.

How much will the £5 generate?

Around £2.7 million would be gained through the extra £5 being asked from each homeowner.

ARMED OFFICERS Household

levy possible

ANN BARNES Kent’s Police and Crime Commissioner

LOCAL NEWS � 5


Sarah Bond [email protected]

TUNBRIDGE Wells’ award-winning venue The Forum has made its love of live music official by becoming a Com-munity Interest Company and Social Enterprise business.

Social Enterprise businesses are on the rise and are a means of putting society ahead of profit.

Among the guests hearing the plans at a Forum party were the Deputy Mayor David Neve and councillor Jane March, cabinet member for tourism, leisure and economic development.

The venue has plans to spend £10,000 to become fully inclusive for all music fans, with new provisions for the disabled and hard of hearing.

Co-owner Richard Simm said The Forum is applying for initial funding to the borough council for a Commu-nity Capital Grant of up to £4,000 to install disabled toilets and a hearing loop, which will boost the sound of the music electronically.

SchemesIt has plans to raise the rest through

a raft of new schemes, which follow on from the recent Musicians Club initiative to help up and coming local talents.

“We used to be a limited company, but as of December 3 The Forum became a registered Com-munity Interest Company, which is widely known as a Social Enterprise – a not-for-profit organisa-tion,” Richard Simm explained

“Essentially, it means we can’t earn money from the business. If there is any profit made it will be put straight back into the The Forum. So we can’t take dividends or salaries, and there’s an asset lock.

“The funny thing is the fact that has always been the case – running The Forum is a labour of love, and it’s a very expensive hobby, but that’s

what we do. This is like an official stamp confirm-ing it.”

The Forum has achieved national fame since winning the NME’s prestigious Best Small Venue Award four years ago.

At the moment, The Forum only gets spon-sorship from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) for Unfest, which launches the town’s summer festival season.

“But we are speaking to the council about apply-ing for that special grant,” said Richard Simm.

“Later in January we will launch the new initi-ative properly, and we will also launch a Friends of the Forum membership scheme plus a patron scheme to raise funds for improvements.

“Additionally, we would like corpo-rate sponsorship from local employ-ers, and we are talking to the Arts Council at the moment as well TWBC. We are looking at crowdfunding, too. The more money we get the better we can make things. That’s the plan.”

Cllr Jane March said: “Owners Jason Dormon, Richard Simm and Mark Davyd are doing a fantastic job, and I’d like to see more people signing up to the Musicians Club because musi-cians ought to be supporting each other.

“Music of all kinds fits into what we are looking at for Tunbridge Wells, which is very cultural. We need to encourage that.

“The Forum is amazing. It’s right on the map, and I feel quite honoured to be part of what is happening. They might have to do it little by little but there are some things that they feel really passionately about.

“They want to be open to every-one, to be fully inclusive, and they want to add a hearing loop and dis-abled facilities because they have so many people coming who enjoy the whole experience of being in a venue like this and being treated normally. That’s what they come here for.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

Family zoo in £10,000 funding bid to expandHOPPERS Animal World zoo, which has been based at the Hop Farm since 2014, has launched a bid to secure £10,000 through crowdfunding in order to expand.

The family run zoo, which features many species including meer cats, llamas and chameleons, wants to spend the money to improve their reptile house and provide better facilities of the animals.

Father and son Nick and Karl Robinson invested £41,000 of their own money into buying the animals after the previous owners of the Hop Farm went bankrupt in 2013.

The zoo is run with close ties to near by Hadlow College, whose students can attend fortnightly placements.

Ambulance call outs THE South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb), which covers Tunbridge Wells, handled 1,135 calls between 10pm on New Year’s Eve and 4am on January 1 throughout the South East. SECAmb has thanked members of the public for their support during the period, which saw an average of three 999 calls reach the service every minute.

Forum plans ‘not for profit’ and looks at crowdfunding

THE VIPSThe Forum’s Richard Simm (centre) with Deputy Mayor David Neve and his wife Katie Neve

ONLINEAND ONTHE GO

Latest news… www.timesoftunbridgewells.co.uk


6 � LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS

Family clothing business wins another leading award and straddles the world By Adam Hignett [email protected]

A FAMILY business with extensive opera-tions across the globe was celebrating an accolade - filled year last week after being named one of the fastest growing compa-nies in Kent.

Known to many for its shop on the High Street selling designer children’s fashion, people could be forgiven for thinking Chil-drensalon is simply another niche retailer.

But there is more than meets the eye at the company, which was founded over half a century ago, with an understated global reach spanning most of the continents.

AccoladesAnd its ambitious programme of

expansion has paid off, with the com-pany becoming the world’s largest online retailer for designer children’s fashion, offering services in 24 separate languages.

This feat has not gone unnoticed by those in the business community, with the company picking up numerous awards in 2015.

Last month it came fourth in the Kent Megaworth 50 of private firms, made the list on the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 for the 3rd year in a row, the International

Track 200 and 10th place in the Profit Track 100.

Other accolades include PayPal and Drap-ers Etail Awards and securing an ongoing place on the London Stock Exchange “1000 Companies to Inspire Britain” list.

In the last financial year accounts are available, 2013/14, the company recorded a turnover of £20.1 million, with a pre-tax profit of £3.8 million, representing a growth rate of 253 per cent in just three years.

But the company said it had experienced growth of 50 per cent again over the past year alone and expects turnover for the financial year to be £43.3 million.

The performance has been all the more impressive as the family-owned company has never sought any outside investment.

Michele Harriman Smith, chief executive of Childrensalon and daughter of Sybil Harriman, who founded the company in 1953, said: “We are delighted to have recently achieved our position on the Kent’s Megagrowth 50 and the league table along-side our other awards.

“This is despite having our focus always on our customers and offering the best product, rather than purely financial targets.

“All the team shares our success. Their dedication and ability to embrace change, constantly learn and evolve has enabled us to remain a world leader. Every day is exciting and a pleasure.”

HIGH FASHION Michele Harriman Smith


LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS � 7

CRIMSON Tide, the Tunbridge Wells com-pany whose app mpro5 is used by the Metro newspaper to track its circulation in real time, has announced its intention to pay dividends.

The AIM listed firm has undergone a recon-struction of its balance sheet which will allow a portion of positive earnings to be allocated to dividends, subject to director approval.

Chief executive Barrie Whipp said: “Consid-ering the company's recent performance, we have decided to undertake this exercise to allow dividends to be considered for the first time since we came to AIM.”

Tide turns for investors

STRONG financial results for Tunbridge Wells law firm Thomson Snell & Passmore have put the practice on target to exceed last year’s revenues its latest figures have revealed.

Revenues in the first half of the financial year to December 5 leapt by almost ten per cent compared to the same period last year, to £8.47 million.

The 9.6 per cent growth in first half revenue means the firm is now well placed to post full year revenues, ending June 2016, in excess of the £16.86 million made during 2014/15.

Chief executive Simon Slater said he was ‘optimistic’ that the current momentum would be maintained during 2016.

He said: “On the back of a successful year last year, it is encouraging to see the pace of growth continue.

“The corporate and private client sides of our practice have seen similar increases in fee income, with commercial disputes, commercial

property, matrimonial, clinical negligence and personal injury leading the way.

“We have also seen a marked uptick in activity across all six of our key markets, but most espe-cially in the food and beverage and transport & logistics sectors.

“Usually, the second half of the year is stronger for us and our pipeline shows no sign of letting up so we look forward with optimism to 2016.”

Law firm reveals 10% revenue jump

SHARES in the Edenbridge based developer Trafalgar New Homes slumped nearly 20-per cent last month as declining revenues dragged on investor sentiment.

Half-year results for the AIM-listed firm, released on December 15, showed the company reporting a £168 million pre-tax loss in the six months to December, compared to a £35,000 profit made a year earlier.

The decline in pre-tax profits occurred as revenues at the company, which has developments on Sandhurst road in Tunbridge Wells and across the Weald, also plunged, from £2.2 million to £531,000.

Commenting on the results, CEO Chris Johnson, said “The loss for the period reflects the six-month overhead charge, with turnover reflecting the sale of the final house

on the Oakhurst Park Gardens development in Hildenborough and repayment of the loan associated with it.

“The company has continued with its development of the two sites at Ticehurst and Borough Green, both of which are nearing completion and currently expected to contribute to turnover for the current financial year.

“In addition, construction work is under way on the site at Burnside, Tunbridge Wells, with work about to commence on two other sites at Edenbridge and Sheerness.”

Shares in the company closed down 19 per cent on the day the results were announced, December 15, to close at 0.69p, making it one of the worst performers on the AIM All-Share that day.

Kent developers hit with £168 million loss

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Simon Slater

THE John Lewis Store in Tunbridge Wells was one of the few at the well-known chain of department stores to buck ‘tough’ pre-Christmas trading conditions.

Tunbridge Wells was one of only six stores to report ‘strong’ sales growth, alongside York, Tamworth, Croydon, Heathrow and St Pancras.

John Lewis’ managing director Andy Street said store trading was tough, with much of the demand being driven by online sales.

He said: “It was online which powered forward with a 15 per cent advance, propelled by visits from mobile devices. As in previous weeks, Distribution’s delivery of these orders has been faultless, thus we go into the final push in a strong position.”

Sales growth was buoyant in watches, phones, cameras and audio.

Furniture, in particular seating, was also strong in the pre-Christmas period, but unseasonably warm weather put customers off buying fashion items.

Strong sales at John Lewis Tunbridge Wells


8 LOCAL NEWS

SEPTEMBER saw hundreds of women flock to hear about a vibrant and modern group that was start-ing a new branch in Tunbridge Wells. That organi-sation was the 100-year-old Women’s Institute. We caught up with the leaders to find how the local WI is faring…

Looking back on the first meeting of Tunbridge Wells’ new WI, Hanna Sorrell recalled that her expectations had been somewhat modest.

“I thought, ‘wouldn’t it be great if 20 or 30 people turned up?’” she said. “Then if, say, 15 people had actually joined, that would have been really nice.”

So it was something of a surprise when around 300 women squeezed into King Charles the Martyr church hall.

“I was absolutely stunned – my jaw was on the floor,” she said. “But obviously it’s addressing a need in the area, because we wouldn’t have got that reaction if there was no demand.”

When web designer Hanna, 32, moved to Tun-bridge Wells in late 2014, she was looking for ways to make new friends.

Dynamic“My first instinct was to join the WI here

because that’s how I was going to get to know people,” she said. “So I joined the Southbor-ough branch and they were all really lovely ladies, but it wasn’t the modern WI that I was used to and was looking for. So I decided to start my own.”

The much-maligned ‘jam and Jerusalem’ approach still has its place in the 21st century WI, it seems, but Hanna was looking for some-thing with a little extra, as she explained.

“I wanted to see a dynamic range of speak-ers and that’s very important to me. I want to hear about a variety of matters, from heavy issues to more fun topics. I think that the WI is changing – it still has a way to go and when you say you’re in the WI, people tend to asso-ciate that with old ladies and bake sales. Although that’s an important part of what the WI is about, it’s not all it’s about.”

Evidently, other women in Tun-bridge Wells felt the same. In fact, so many people wanted to try it that they could not be accommodated by the one branch Hanna had envisaged. So two

new branches were formed – the Wells Angels, of which Hanna is the President, and the Wells Belles group, based in St John’s and headed up by Siobhan Young. Both meet monthly, at the King Charles the Martyr church hall and St Luke’s, respectively.

Like many others, Siobhan went along to Hanna’s event to meet new people, after mov-ing here from Australia in 2011. Siobhan – who runs personal styling business WellStyled – was struck by the new energy that Hanna and others brought to the group.

Hanna’s view that even the older generation wants something different from the WI these days is shared by Siobhan.

“It’s definitely opening up to a new generation, but it was interesting to hear that one of our old-est members left another WI branch because she felt they were too ‘old’,” Siobhan said. “People want to have that energy and have been really impressed with the modern outlook.”

At the first meeting of Wells Belles, mem-bers were asked for their suggestions for future activities and, as Siobhan revealed, “no one suggested jam or chutney making!” Also, Hanna insists that her members are not

‘ladies’, but ‘women’. But what are these new things that the

modern WI offers?“Our January meeting is going to be a really

exciting one for us, because we’ve got a speaker coming all the way from New York,” Hanna said. “She’s the campaign manager for Girl Ris-ing, who campaign for girls’ equal opportuni-ties to access education around the world. Then in February, we’re having a gin tasting event with Fuggles and in March we’ve got someone coming from the Feminist Library.”

For Siobhan, the focus is also on trying new activities and learning new things, possibly with trips beyond Tunbridge Wells.

Friends“I think that, for a lot of women, they just

want to make new friends,” she said. “You’ve got your work friends, your mum friends and your school friends, and the WI is a bit of an escape, where the people you meet don’t fit into any of those categories. One of the ladies who comes says that it’s her goal to know everybody in the group and I love that independent spirit from people who come on their own. I have three children and it’s interesting that most of the women on the committee also have three or four children – three of us have twins – and so we’re all busy people. But the WI has nothing to do with the kids, it’s all about our own enthusi-

asm and energy.”In this day and age, when there are so many

internet-based networks and social groups, why choose the WI over other, newer

approaches?“It’s the largest voluntary wom-

en’s organisation in the country and has over 200,000 mem-bers,” Hanna said. “The WI also has a really good history of campaigning, on causes like

organ donation and getting more midwives, and that’s really import-

ant to me and the members”.However, if you want to be a part of it,

you might be out of luck for now. At 100 members, the Wells Angels have reached their maximum, although you can join the waiting list at www.wellsangelsWI.com

With over 80 people in their group, Wells Belles are also oversubscribed, but you can visit www.facebook.com/twwistjohns for more information.

01892 510202 [email protected]

14 Decimus Park, Kingstanding Way, Tunbridge Wells,

Kent TN2 3GP

Style

Where

ergonomicsmeets

Wells Angels attract flying visit from New York speaker as town WI takes off

“My first instinct was to join the WI here because that’s how I was going to get to know people,” she said. “So I joined the Southbor-ough branch and they were all really lovely ladies, but it wasn’t the modern WI that I was used to and was looking for. So I decided to

The much-maligned ‘jam and Jerusalem’ approach still has its place in the 21st century WI, it seems, but Hanna was looking for some-thing with a little extra, as she explained.

“I wanted to see a dynamic range of speak-ers and that’s very important to me. I want to hear about a variety of matters, from heavy issues to more fun topics. I think that the WI is changing – it still has a way to go and when you say you’re in the WI, people tend to asso-

Evidently, other women in Tun-bridge Wells felt the same. In fact, so many people wanted to try it that they could not be accommodated by the one branch Hanna had envisaged. So two

“no one suggested jam or chutney making!” Also, Hanna insists that her members are not

‘ladies’, but ‘women’. But what are these new things that the

from people who come on their own. I have three children and it’s interesting that most of the women on the committee also have three or four children – three of us have twins – and so we’re all busy people. But the WI has nothing to do with the kids, it’s all about our own enthusi-

asm and energy.”In this day and age, when there are so many

internet-based networks and social groups, why choose the WI over other, newer

approaches?

en’s organisation in the country

midwives, and that’s really import-ant to me and the members”.However, if you want to be a part of it,

you might be out of luck for now. At 100 members, the Wells Angels have reached their maximum, although you can join the waiting list at www.wellsangelsWI.com

With over 80 people in their group, Wells Belles are also oversubscribed, but you can visit www.facebook.com/twwistjohns for more information.

STYLISH MEMBERSiobhan Young runs her own personal styling business

INITIAL MEETINGTurn out exceeded all expectations

NATIONAL NEWS 9


MURDER squad detectives are searching for the boyfriend of an ex-EastEnders actress after three bodies were found by police looking for the per-former and her two children.

Sian Blake, 43, who played Frankie Pierre in the hit soap, vanished with her sons Zachary, eight, and Amon, four, in east London on December 13.

Three days later, police interviewed her partner, the children’s father Arthur Simpson-Kent, 48, at the family’s home in Erith, Kent, before he also disappeared.

Officers made the grim discovery in the garden yesterday and launched a murder inquiry.

Speaking outside New Scotland Yard, Detective Superintendent Paul Monk said: “Sadly we found three bodies around about lunchtime in the back garden of their home address, and as such this is now a murder investigation.

“Formal identification has yet to take place, it’s too early to speculate but of course the family has been told and this is obviously a very difficult time for them.

“Our efforts are continuing to find Arthur Simp-son-Kent. Our appeal is to anyone who may know his current whereabouts or can assist us in finding him – we do need to speak to him as a matter of urgency.”

Former actress Ms Blake had motor neurone disease – a fatal, rapidly progressing disease that affects the brain and spinal cord – and was report-edly looking “very frail” before she vanished.

She and her children were last seen in Waltham Forest, east London, on December 13, and her sil-ver-beige Renault Scenic was found in Calvert Ave-nue in Bethnal Green, east London, on January 3, but it is not known who parked it there.

Scotland Yard confirmed that the murder squad had taken over the investigation.

Next-door neighbour Sam Sanni-Alashe was in tears over the news.

He said: “I am in shock, I can’t talk. It is really hurtful. I know the lady. I see the children play-ing at the back. I say hello all the time. We are not close but she was a very happy woman.

“This is a disaster and it is awful for the commu-nity. I can see everything in the garden but these last few days I have chosen not to look.

“When my son finds out, he will be terrified.”

Another neighbour Hannah Cutting, 18, said: “I would see the kids playing at the window, then we were worried when police were there 24/7.

“It’s awful just to think that something can hap-pen on your doorstep and you see people and you have no idea what’s going on.”

A neighbour who knew Ms Blake, was in tears after hearing the news.

The 30-year-old, who did not want to be named, said: “She was a lovely, caring lady and we didn’t

know anything about her being in EastEnders. She was just the sign language tutor with her two boys.

“I feel really upset because I imagine that house and I just see those boys playing about and get-ting in the car. I was hoping she was just hiding away to have her last Christmas.

“I knew she was ill but we didn’t know with what. I wish I had been a better neighbour. I’m devastated.”

Boyfriend sought as bodiesof actress and sons found

Reshuffle’sfirst majorcasualty

JEREMY Corbyn is facing a backlash over his so-called revenge reshuffl e after a wave of senior fi gures spoke out in support of the fi rst casualty.

Michael Dugher (above) announced he had been “sacked” from the post of shadow culture secretary as part of the Labour leader’s shake-up of the shadow Cabinet.

But Mr Corbyn’s decision to kick out the Barns-ley East MP, a close ally of former prime minister Gordon Brown, saw MPs express their dismay at the move.

And the party said a planned meeting of the shadow cabinet which had been set for 12.45pm had been cancelled.

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson led the praise for the ousted frontbencher. He said: “Michael Dugher is a rare politician – a talented working-class MP who hasn’t lost his strong Yorkshire roots.

“Politicians with his ability and commitment can make a difference in any role. The shadow cabinet will be compensated by Michael’s free thought on the backbenches.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

Prime Minister allows free EU campaigningPRIME Minister David Cameron is to allow ministers to campaign for either side in the referendum once a deal is reached on the UK’s relationship with the EU.

He said the government would make a recommendation to the people on which way to vote in the referendum.

However, he told MPs yesterday: “it will be open to individual ministers to take a different, personal decision while remaining part of the government”.

The referendum on whether the UK stays in the EU will be held before 2018.

A number of cabinet ministers are thought to favour an out vote, If the PM had decided to insist on collective cabinet responsibility, he would have been forced to sack ministers who disagreed with him.

But ministers will not be allowed to break ranks until David Cameron has secured a renegotiated deal with fellow EU leaders. This cannot happen until at least next month’s summit.

Comeback album hit ADELE’S 25 was the biggest album of 2015 – despite only being released in November and not being available to stream.

The singer’s comeback third album smashed charts records, selling 2,486 million copies by the end of the year, the Offi cial Charts Company said.

The album reached the top spot even though 25 is not available on streaming services.

This means her fi gure is made up entirely of digital purchases and sales of the physical CD.

Record heavy rainfall DECEMBER was the wettest month on record for the UK, provisional fi gures from the Met Offi ce show.

The last month of 2015 was not only the wettest December on record, but the wettest calendar month overall in the records dating back to 1910.

It was also the UK’s warmest December on record, with temperatures averaging 7.9C (46.2F), which is 4.1C (7.4F) above the long-term average.

GRIM DISCOVERY Police search the

house and garden, inset, Sian Blake.


10 � NATIONAL NEWS

It’s Star Wars up against Fifty Shades of Grey at BaftaSTAR Wars actor John Boyega (right) will battle it out against Fifty Shades Of Grey actress Dakota Johnson at next month's Bafta awards, in the hopes of being named the next major star of the future.

Boyega, who plays one of the leads

in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Johnson are two of the five nominees for the EE Rising Star Award that is presented at the ceremony.

Also in the running are Welsh actor Taron Egerton, who recently starred opposite Colin Firth in Kingsman: The Secret Service, and Brie Larson, who received critical praise for her 2015 role in Room, the film adaptation of the Emma Donoghue book. Larson also starred alongside comedian Amy Schumer in Trainwreck.

A BORN again Christian preacher accused of making grossly offensive remarks about Muslims has been cleared by a court in Northern Ireland.

Pastor James McConnell, 78, from Shore Road, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, walked free from Belfast Magistrates’ Court where he had faced a prosecution under the 2003 Communi-cations Act.

Delivering his reserved judgment, District Judge Liam McNally said: “The courts need to be very careful not to criminalise speech which, however contemptible, is no more than offensive. It is not the task of the criminal law to censor offensive utterances.

“Accordingly, I find Pastor McConnell not guilty of both charges.”

The high profile evangelical pastor had been charged with two alleged offences – improper use of a public electronic communications net-work and causing a grossly offensive message to be sent by means of a public electronic commu-nications network – after the sermon delivered from the pulpit of his Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle on May 18, 2014 was streamed online.

In it he described Islam as a “doctrine spawned in hell” and said he did not trust Muslims.

Although the words upon which the charges were based were offensive, they did not reach the

high threshold of being “grossly offensive”.The judge added: “He is a man with strong,

passionate and sincerely held beliefs. In my view Pastor McConnell’s mindset was that he was preaching to the converted in the form of his own congregation and like-minded people who were listening to his service rather than preaching to the worldwide internet.

“His passion and enthusiasm for his subject caused him to, so to speak, ‘lose the run of him-self’.”

The comments about Islam being “heathen” and “satanic” were protected under human rights legislation.

Wildlife at risk as pink bottles wash up onCornish beachTHOUSANDS of bright pink plastic bottles have washed up on a beach in Cornwall.

Volunteers are clearing the 2,000 detergent bottles from Poldhu Beach, on the Lizard, as they pose a potential risk to wildlife.

Further bottles are expected to wash up in the area, the National Trust said.

Cornwall Council is urging people to keep children and dogs away from the bottles, some of which are foaming.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Pastor cleared over sermon as judge backs right to ‘offend, shock or disturb’

OFFENSIVEPastor James McConnell

SECURITY services have completed an “initial assessment” of the identity of a masked jihadi with a British accent who appears on the latest blood-curdling video from terror group Islamic State, Downing Street has said.

But the Prime Minister’s official spokeswoman said that agents are not expected publicly to confirm the identity of the man, who is widely reported to be a Muslim convert from London called Abu Rumaysah (below).

The spokeswoman said work was “ongoing” to study the 10-minute clip, which showed the murder of five men accused by IS of spying for the UK.

She told a Westminster media briefing: “Work is ongoing. We have made an initial assessment, but I wouldn’t expect us to confirm a name of this individual.

“I don’t expect us to confirm our assessment of who this individual is at any stage in the process.”

The spokeswoman declined to say whether David Cameron would be ready to order an RAF drone strike to kill the militant, as he did with British national Mohammed Emwazi – known as Jihadi John – in November.

But she added: “The Prime Minister has spoken before and it remains his view that he will look at what action is necessary to protect British people in this country and to protect us from the threat posed by Daesh.”

Security services are not likely to name

‘Briton’ in terror video

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ADVERTISING FEATURE 11

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12 NATIONAL BUSINESS

HEATHROW Airport expansion will only be given the go-ahead if environ-mental standards that must be met are “rigged”, Zac Goldsmith has claimed.

The Conservative candidate for London Mayor insisted the campaign against a third runway had been “won” and Heathrow was now “off the agenda”.

EnvironmentMinisters last month decided to delay a final decision until at least next summer “subject to further consideration on environmental impacts and the best possible mit-igation measures”.

Critics claimed the move was aimed at protecting Mr Gold-smith, who threatened to resign

as an MP if the Government backed the third runway at Heathrow, during his campaign to succeed Boris John-son in the capital.

Asked if he would resign if he became London Mayor and Heath-row was given the go-ahead, he replied: “No, of course not.”

He told the BBC Radio 4 Today pro-gramme: “Heathrow cannot pass the air pollution test unless the test is rigged.

“If Heathrow passes the air pollu-tion test and is given a green light, that could only mean that the test has been set in such a way that Heathrow was always going to pass it,” he added.

“I’m not not trusting anyone, I think Heathrow is off the agenda, I think we have won this campaign.

“The only way that Heathrow can be given the green light now is if the test is rigged.”

Mr Goldsmith, a leading Euroscep-tic, said he would vote to come out of the European Union if David Cam-eron failed to deliver “meaningful” reform in Britain’s relationship with Brussels.

The Tory MP for Richmond Park insisted he was “not a headbanger” on the issue and wanted to give the Prime Minister a “chance” to deliver reforms.

“If the reforms are not meaningful, if they are not radical, if it doesn’t mean that we will have a more decentralised, more democratic union then, of course, I will vote to come out because that would be in the national interest.”

BUSINESS IN BRIEF

Tax return: New Year’sEve record at 24,546 MORE than 24,500 people submitted their tax returns online on New Year’s Eve, marking a new record, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

A total of 24,546 people submitted their tax returns online on December 31, marking a 2.8% increase compared with a year earlier, HMRC said.

Meanwhile, more than 11,467 people fi led their self-assessment tax return on New Year’s Day 2016.

Construction growth GROWTH in the UK’s construction sector in December picked up from a seven-month low in November, boosted by a rise in house building and commercial work.

The latest Markit/CIPS Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) survey for the sector gave a reading of 57.8 last month beating forecasts, rising from November’s 55.3 low. A reading above 50 indicates growth.

HEATHROWonly be given the go-ahead if environ-mental standards that must be met are “rigged”, Zac Goldsmith has claimed.

The Conservative candidate for London Mayor insisted the campaign against a third runway had been “won” and Heathrow was now “off the agenda”.

Ministers last month decided to

impacts and the best possible mit-igation measures”.

‘Heathrow expansion will only go ahead if pollution test is rigged’ahead if pollution test is rigged’CONSERVATIVECANDIDATEZac Goldsmith

HIGH street chain Next blamed unseasonably warm weather for a “disappointing” performance in the run-up to Christmas as it posted a fall in store sales and a sharp slowdown in its Directory business.

The retailer said full-price sales fell 0.5% across its stores in the 60 days to December 24, while sales across its Next Directory online and catalogue arm lifted 2%.

Next said its trading woes were compounded by poor stock availability from October and tougher online competition.

Its worse-than-expected festive performance means the group anticipates full-year profi ts to come in towards the bottom end of its forecast, at £817 million, although this would still be a 4.4% hike on the previous year.

Next, which holds off from discounting until Boxing Day, said

that, while the warm weather was the main reason for its disappointing trading, “we would not want to allow diffi cult trading conditions to mask any mistakes and challenges faced by the business”.

It added: “Specifi cally, we believe that Next Directory’s disappointing sales were compounded by poor stock availability from October onwards.

“In addition, the online competitive environment is getting tougher as industry-wide service propositions catch up with the Next Directory.”

The overall performance for full-price brand sales across the stores and Directory were 0.4% higher for the 60 days to Christmas Eve – a sharp slowdown on the 3.3% hike seen in its half-year to July.

This has left sales for the year to date up 3.7%, running below previous guidance.

Warm December cools Next pre-Christmas in-store sales

A TV that can be rolled up like a newspaper (right) and a fridge that messages you to tell you when food is out of date are among the new products set to be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

A ‘rollable’ TV is reportedly part of LG’s presentation, and the technology giant is also set to announce a new line-up of televisions.

CES is the largest event of its kind, and yesterday marked the beginning of the major press conferences, where the likes of Ford, Samsung, Huawei and Sony announce their upcoming projects.

There are reports that Ford will confi rm a partnership with Google

on driverless cars, while Samsung is expected to also showcase new televisions.

The new smart fridge from Korean company Samsung is set to include a 21.5-inch touchscreen display, and the device will connect to your smartphone, providing users with alerts and information on the food inside their fridge, including when it goes out of date.

The fi rst offi cial events of the convention took place in Las Vegas, with CES Unveiled, a media-only preview show of thousands of new products, being hosted in the city.

TV that rolls up like a newspaper to be unveiled at CES in Las Vegas


WORLD NEWS � 13

Germany: 1,000 men said to attack womenPOLICE in Cologne have been brought in for cri-sis talks after an unprecedented level of sexual assaults on New Year’s Eve.

Nearly 80 women lodged criminal complaints after incidents outside the city’s central train station, including one report of rape. Police were deployed in the area but failed to be an effective deterrent. With the attacks involving nearly 1,000 men, described as being ‘Arab or North African’ in background, investigations have begun looking into whether these assaults were coordinated through social media.

Whether you are looking for kitchen,

dining or living furniture, upholstery

or accessories the showroom in

Tonbridge has it all

Located just off the High Street, opposite

Waitrose car park

Brazil: Olympic stadium fiascoTHE Olympic stadium which is to host athletics in this summer’s games in Rio has had its water and electricity cut off in a dispute over unpaid bills.

The 45,000 capacity arena is home to the Botafogo football club, who claim that the £153,000 owed should be paid by the government, as they did not receive payments owed to them when the stadium was closed for repairs for two years in 2013. The government deny this and, so far, resolution talks have failed.

WORLD IN BRIEF

THREE tonnes of cocaine have been seized and 12 smugglers arrested by Spanish police, in what they describe as the largest seizure in the region for 17 years.

Due to its location and colonial ties, Spain is the main entry point for drugs from South America, although a majority of the smugglers are reported to be from Britain.

Spain: 12 cocaine smugglers arrested

THE US Justice Department is suing Volkswagen over emissions-cheating software found in nearly 600,000 vehicles sold in the country.

The civil complaint against the German car maker, filed on behalf of the Environmental Pro-tection Agency in the US District Court in Detroit, alleges the company illegally installed software designed to make its diesel engines pass federal emissions standards while undergoing labora-tory testing.

The vehicles then switched off those measures to boost performance in real-world driving condi-tions, resulting in greenhouse gas emissions up to 40 times greater than federal environmental standards.

“Car manufacturers that fail to properly certify their cars and that defeat emission control sys-tems breach the public trust, endanger public health and disadvantage competitors,” said John C Cruden, the Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division.

“The United States will pursue all appropriate

remedies against Volkswagen to redress the vio-lations of our nation's clean air laws alleged in the complaint,” he said.

The company first admitted in September that the cheating software was included in its diesel cars and SUVs sold since the 2009 model year. The company is negotiating a massive mandatory recall with US regulators and potentially faces more than 18 billion dollars (£12 billion) in fines for violations of the federal Clean Air Act.

The company could also face separate criminal charges, while a raft of private class-action law-suits filed by VW owners are pending.

“With the filing, we take an important step to protect public health by seeking to hold Volkswa-gen accountable for any unlawful air pollution, setting us on a path to resolution,” said Assistant Administrator Cynthia Giles for the EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.

“So far, recall discussions with the company have not produced an acceptable way forward. These discussions will continue in parallel with the federal court action.”

US sues Volkswagen over emissions-cheating software in diesel cars

Children among nine migrants found dead onTurkish beach

NINE drowned migrants, including children, have washed up on a beach on Turkey’s Aegean coast after their boat capsized in rough seas.

The Dogan news agency said the bodies were discovered early on Tuesday in the resort of Ayvalik, from where migrants set off on boats to reach the Greek island of Lesbos.

Turkish coast guards were dispatched to search for possible survivors. Eight migrants

were rescued.Dogan video footage showed a body, still

wearing a life jacket, being pulled from the sea on to the sandy beach.

There was no immediate information on the migrants’ nationalities.

Some 850,000 migrants and refugees crossed into Greece last year, paying smuggling gangs to ferry them over from Turkey in frail boats.


14 � LETTERS

LIVING in the Pembury area, we had been resigned to the nearby upgrade work on the A21 taking some time to complete.

While we are quite aware of how desperately needed this project is after years of waiting, it has been hugely frustrating trying to use the roads around here these past few months.

Is there no way that Highways England could schedule the scheme to be completed more quickly? I can’t help thinking that in Germany or a number of other countries around Europe that this could be done in a much shorter timescale.

As it is, we have been left facing considerable congestion due to speed and lane restrictions that have been put in place and will be there until this finally gets dealt with at the end of 2016.

Having put up with what the government has acknowledged are seriously over-congested road networks in the area for more than a decade, the end of this sorry saga can’t come soon enough.Roger CalthorpVia email

HAVING spent quite a bit of time last-minute Christmas shopping this year around Tunbridge Wells, I was really pleased to see how much effort had been made with the town’s lights.

It makes a real difference to see The Pantiles and our other shopping areas really look their best in these long and gloomy winter nights.

With plenty of interesting independent stores in town, we really didn’t have to travel further afield to pick up all our gifts. This was a huge bonus with the roads being so busy before Christmas.

My family certainly appreciated the festive atmosphere which was clearly in evidence around town, especially with the ice skating as well which proved great fun for us all.

In recent Christmases, we’ve visited family around the country over the festive season and we really noticed the difference in places where there weren’t so many lights about.

While town councils have tough choices to make about where to spend their limited budgets, helping pay towards making our town look its best for Christmas and supporting our businesses is something I am glad has been made a genuine priority.Rosemary WatkinsVia email

I was surprised at the cost of tickets to this year’s pantomime at the Assembly Hall. At almost £25 for adults and over £15 per child, having a nice family day out would be almost prohibitively expensive for some people.

Part of this is down to the unnecessary but compulsive need for performance companies to fill their main roles with non-entity ‘celebrities’, which leads to higher costs. It’s pantomime,

not Hollywood, and Christmas is depressingly commercialised enough already. People would still want to take part in the festive fun regardless of who is on stage, and let’s be honest, you don’t exactly need to be a graduate of RADA for panto.

I propose next year getting a local am-dram company to do it, cut the cost of tickets in half and let everyone be able to take part.Charles WhitleyVia email

I was aghast to read about the government’s plans to hike business rates by early next year. As a small trader I already struggle to make ends meet and combined with an expected increase in rents when my lease comes up for renewal I worry my company may fold.

The hope is that when the council starts to take further control over the proceeds from business rates, as set out in the Chancellor’s last budget, they will put a portion of it back into providing reliefs for overwhelmed traders.

Otherwise I think many independents will simply shut down, as this perverse situation whereby higher rents are then exacerbated by even higher rates, on the back of said rents, cannot continue forever. Emma Seawell Via email

I just wanted to say how delighted I have been with this paper over the festive period. It was nice to be able to pick it up each Wednesday, despite the constraints I am sure the period placed on your staff.

The news was on the whole upbeat, but there was also no attempt to bury bad news.

The articles I read were nicely balanced. I am glad you took the time to recognise the immense contribution the voluntary sector makes to this town.

As a member of a church-led voluntary group myself getting the recognition really made our day.

I look forward to continuing to read your splendid paper over the coming year. My Wednesdays would no longer feel right without a browse of the well-designed pages in the mornings.

Please continue to keep up the good work.From Alison Via email

And another thing…The Times of Tunbridge Wells always wants to hear your feedback, whether on reports we have printed or any other issues you think we should know about. Write to or email us using the contact details listed on page 2.

Calverley

WORD has reached the ears of Calverley about apparent disunity among the ranks of the anti-Gatwick campaigners. My mole informs me that with the ongoing review of flight paths the various factions are quietly trying to guide planes away from their own backyards and put the aircraft over neighbouring gardens. He tells me: “We are all just pretending to stick together, plane noise has to affect somebody”. Whatever happened to the idea of all for one and one for all? Bicker and your campaign will never take off.

WALKING through the town of an evening, Calverley has been known to call in at the Smith & Western for a tipple; it’s a bit like riding into ‘cowboy land’. The nine ‘themed’ bedrooms are named after South American tribes such as Sioux and Cree. All a little bit strange, and Calverley is not the only person to think along those lines. Fresh from entertaining audiences in flood-hit Cumbria, Mancunian comedian Jason Manford booked a family room and took to Twitter to tell the world he found it all a little bit ‘weird’. Quite so Mr Manford, quite so.

MUCH amusement among dwellers at a prestige block of flats near The Pantiles when one of the residents returned home from festive celebrations minus his door keys. His predicament was made worse by the fact that his son had borrowed his 4x4 and disappeared for the night. The millionaire (aren’t they all) had to wake his neighbours by hammering on the main front door to gain access.

They await the obligatory bottle of bubbly to ease the pain of the disturbance,

WHICH Scrooge-like cheapskate bought last-minute presents at a marked down price on Christmas Eve after the family agreed to spend a maximum of £10 on gifts? She was delighted to get bargains for even less than £10 at Sainsbury’s, but was so tired by then she left them on the counter. She promised the relatives who were left empty-handed she would retrieve the presents.

Imagine her chagrin when she realised on her return that they had been marked down by half their value in the sale!

AND finally, Calverley just has to share this comment overheard at his favourite watering hole:

Man One: “How was Christmas for you?” Man two: “Really awful. Ate and drank far too much Christmas Eve, did the same on Christmas Day and repeated it all again on Boxing Day. Mind you, have to remember we only do it all for the kids.”

Chin, chin...

I HAD to write in to say how much I loved the Christmas services at our oldest church, King Charles the Martyr, especially the gorgeous Carols and Candles service. The children in the choir were enchanting. I also love that I can sing my heart out from the gallery without bothering anyone! The church is currently seeking a new vicar, but the Rev Sarah Partridge [the associate vicar] is doing a great job in the meantime, and is as funny as ever with the children.Laura BeatonVia Email

EDUCATION � 15

Science is saddled with an outdated reputation – but it can create engineers of the future…

Benenden headmistress Samantha Price makes the case for taking science seriously

I INVITE you to consider two recent events. Firstly, science was one of the few areas to have escaped the wider government funding cuts in the Autumn Statement.

Secondly, last month more than 400 young people from 17 schools across Kent took part in a special day devoted to chemistry held here at Benenden.These two events are far from unrelated; in fact, they are at either end of an issue that is extremely important for our country, and for our schools. We frequently hear that there is a shortage of engineers in the UK, and that this shortage is holding back the economy. As recently as September, one study suggested that engineering roles are the hardest for recruiters to fill, with 49 per cent of respondents agreeing.

ApathyScience subjects are the foundation for engi-

neering roles but they have long been suffer-ing from too few young people seeing science as a career option. The situation is starting to improve, but not quickly enough. In intro-ducing this year’s Engineering UK report, the then Secretary of State for Business, Innova-

tion and Skills Vince Cable said that entrant numbers to STEM (Science, Technology, Engi-neering and Maths) subjects have increased in the past decade at higher education, AS and A level. However, it is clear there is more to do. Mr Cable said applications for engineering higher education courses have increased by 5.5 per cent in the past year, but with a year-on-year increase from 12 to 19 per cent of firms reporting difficulties in finding suitable grad-uate recruits, it is clear a skills gap still exists.

Such trends of apathy towards certain sub-jects can take a long time to address. Science is saddled with an outdated reputation built on previous generations’ experience of their school science days being spent in gloomy labs listening to a technician in a lab coat drone on.

Science today is very different. At Benenden we are fortunate to have wonderful science facilities, but it is not all about the environment you are teaching in: it is down to the teaching itself. Science should be hands-on, it should be a wonderful chance for young people to be free to experiment for themselves. It should be a case of trial and error, because we learn more richly when we are allowed to make errors. It should be fun.

Above all, however, it should be relevant. Students need to know that Science leads somewhere. Speakers at our Chemistry at Work Day were chosen to give that precise message. Many young people would perhaps balk at the idea of becoming a scientist – purely because their stereotypical image of a scientist doesn’t fit with how they see themselves. Yet if you suggested they could pursue their passion and become a perfume maker, a forensics expert, a solar energy specialist, they may think dif-ferently.

CreativityAll children love creating things when they

are young and girls are seen as being particu-larly creative. Science, along with its related subject of Design & Technology, is a wonder-ful way for them to develop this creativity. Schools should harness this natural creativ-ity and curiosity and encourage it. If we are stifling it then we are not teaching science properly, and we will not be able to com-plain if there is still a shortage of engineers in another generation’s time and the science budget starts to be cut.

‘We will not be able to complain if there is still a shortage of engineers in another generation’s time and the science budget starts to be cut’

EDUCATION NEWS

Schools must toughen up on snoopingEDUCATION Secretary Nicky Morgan has announced that schools must take a tougher line in monitoring pupils’ web use to prevent radicalisation, following ministerial fears that young people may be able to get information about Isis through school computers. The move comes amid claims that some schoolchildren are being targeted by extremist groups. More stringent monitoring will also help with problems such as cyberbullying and pornography. Two guides developed by the UK Council for Child Internet Safety were published on December 22 to assist schools in the new tasks.

Parents fret over grammar futurePARENTS who are desperate for their daughters to attend a grammar school annexe in Sevenoaks, instead of having to travel to Tonbridge or Tunbridge Wells, face continuing anxiety in the New Year. The government gave permission to Weald of Kent School, Tonbridge, to build the annexe last October, but campaign group Comprehensive Future are trying to mount a legal challenge against the decision, and have accused the school and the Department for Education of withholding evidence which could prove their case. Building work has stopped until the challenge has been dealt with.

Time for Britons to learn new languageTHE BRITISH Council would like both adults and children to make a New Year’s resolution to master a new tongue. GCSE, A-level and degree qualifi cations in modern foreign languages are on the decline and the Council’s schools adviser, Vicky Gough, warned: “The UK is currently facing a shortfall in people who can speak foreign languages.” A poll the Council conducted in the summer further revealed that a quarter of UK adults felt nervous at the thought of having to speak a language on holiday. The Council says learning “just a phrase a day” could see people greatly improve their language skills.


16 n INTERVIEW


Hitting the high notes at SopranoFor a genuine taste of Spain, Soprano Tapas and Wine Bar on the High Street is not to be missed. We speak to owner Maurizio Di Santo to find out more about how this continental corner of the town continues to delight diners with its truly eclectic range of dishes, cocktails and unforgettable flavours56 High Street, Tunbridge Wells,

Kent TN1 1XF

01892 535842

www.sopranowinebar.co.uk

Tell us about the background of SopranoThe restaurant was started 10 years ago. I used to have an Italian restaurant at the top of the town, but I always wanted to come to the High Street, so we started to rebuild the place from scratch. One day I was painting the door outside when a customer passed by and said: “I hope it’s not another Italian restaurant!” We’d thought to do a posh Italian restaurant, but because of that customer we decided not to do Italian.

Why opt for Spanish tapas instead?I used to live in London, so tried to remember the last restaurant that I would usually go to, which was a tapas place in Hammersmith. Even though Italian does much more for business, I felt a tapas bar was missing in Tunbridge Wells, so opened it for myself based on what I missed and where I’d like to go.

Where did the name come from?We had the place and the cuisine, but were missing the name, which needed to be memorable. When we opened, it was around the time of the last series of The Sopranos, so everyone was talking about it. I liked it, so we named the restaurant after the TV show and have been busy ever since.

What was so appealing about Tunbridge Wells High Street?I used to work in London in a place called Paparazzi. I wanted to open my own place, and someone said Tunbridge Wells was a great location. I came and liked it, and we opened the first restaurant at the top of the town. I always liked the High Street, which is like a little village, and think it’s the best place between the top

of the town and The Pantiles. I know everyone around here and it’s a lot more communal, whereas it wasn’t like that at the top of the town. It was the perfect spot that I’d always been looking for.

How about some of your bestselling dishes?The thing we could never take off the menu is the meatballs, or ‘albondigas’, which is very popular, the chorizo and the ‘flamenquìn’. We change the menu every six to eight months and try to use a lot of local suppliers. Being Spanish, there are a lot of things that aren’t produced over here, so we try to source the meat, fruit and veg locally, but the rest comes from either Italy or Spain.

Are cocktails a big part of your menu?We’ve been to different bars and restaurants in New York and London to look for inspiration for the new menu, including wine, beer and cocktails. We’ve tried to push ourselves on gin, which is very trendy at the moment, as well as vodka and rum, and we use a lot of spices and fresh fruit. People sit at the bar with an aperitif,

so we’ve tried to include that more, which does work; 10 years ago, people wouldn’t have had an aperitif, but now they do. When we opened, we found that tapas and cocktails was the new fashion in England.

In what ways does Soprano offer a truly authentic tapas experience?When people come here, they don’t need to spend £40 or £50 on one or two courses; a table of four might have between 12 and 16 different dishes, so you can try a bit of everything without it being expensive. Some people who might never order chorizo, for instance, will try it because

OWNERMaurizio Di Santo

OPENING TIMES

Monday to Friday 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm & 6:00 pm – 12:00 am

Saturday - 12:00 pm – 1:00 amSunday - Closed


Luxury living with orangery,pool pavilion and croquet lawn

Pages 18-19

Period country house with spectacular views

Page 22

Secluded property with part-walled gardens

Page 34

Newly built energy-effi cient family home

Page 36

SPONSORED BY:

WEST KENT’S ULTIMATE PROPERTY GUIDE – FREE EVERY WEDNESDAYA MUST READ FOR THOSE LOOKING TO BUY, LET OR SELL

WIT

H T

HE

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS AND SEVENOAKS

Handsome and elegant mansion set in superb park-like grounds

ELLERSLIE HOUSEGILLS GREEN, CRANBROOK

£2,999,995

ELLERSLIE House is set close to Cranbrook and boasts lovely park-like grounds. Its fine façade has been added to in recent times by the present owners, who have carried out a programme of refurbishment.

Accommodation in the house is arranged over three floors plus excellent cellars, and extends to in excess of 8,100sq ft. The elegant reception rooms are of impressive proportions, all having fine outlooks over the grounds. The principal suite has a stunning

bedroom, opening to a dressing room with pedestal mounted bath and an adjoining shower room. Six further double bedrooms across the two levels are serviced by three bath/shower rooms and there is ample storage space on the second floor together with a kitchen.

Ellerslie Cottage is attached to the main house via the utility room but self-contained with its own entrance. Accommodation is spread over two floors and includes a sitting

room, kitchen, utility room, two bedrooms and a bathroom.

Outside there is a large drive, detached triple garage and a detached leisure building housing a gym. The grounds also boast a croquet lawn, kitchen garden, orchard, evergreen maze, a children’s play area, tennis court and a series of tiered ponds which flow into a large stocked pond. There are various outbuildings providing ample storage. In all around 9.94 acres.

18 PROPERTY


DO YOU HAVE A STORY?

[email protected]

Last year drew to a close on a very positive note with a noticeable improvement in buyer activity and a return of sales at the top end of the market. We start the New Year with renewed confi dence and optimism. Unlike 2015, there is no General Election and mansion tax is a threat of the past. Interest rates are still historically low and the re-structured Stamp Duty Land Tax has been in place for a year, so despite the proposed additional 3% SDLT scheduled to come into effect for second homes and buy-to-let investment properties at the beginning of April, everything seems to be set fair for 2016.

We anticipate an early start to this years’ property market as buyers and vendors alike will have galvanised their plans and will want to put them into action without delay. On the back of an anticipated surge in buyer activity resulting from the spike in internet traffi c to property search websites over the period between Christmas and New Year, we are recommending all our potential vendors launch their property without delay.

In order to take full advantage of, what we expect to be, a very active Spring market, it is essential vendors position their property’s guide price accurately in order to achieve a sale at the best possible price. A realistic guide price is essential as there is a direct correlation between the length of time a property sits on the open market and the percentage of the guide price achieved. Those achieving in excess of their guide price average only 2 weeks on the market compared to those achieving 80% of their original guide price spending on average 23 weeks or more. With an increase in the number of active buyers entering the market it is critical vendors do not put themselves at a disadvantage by over ambitious pricing. We predict a very gentle average rise in prices across 2016 of approximately 4%, but this will vary with price band and address. What seems likely though is that 2016 will be a better year to buy and sell your property than 2015.

Knight Frank01892 310997www.knightfrank.co.uk

In my view…PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Rupert ConnellPartner, Office Head

In my view…Rupert ConnellPartner, Office Head


AT A GLANCE

� Regency style

� Believed to date from 1870

� Recently refurbished

� Period features

� Self-contained attached cottage

� Impressive entrance hall

� Drawing room

� Dining room

� Study

� Home offi ce

� Laundry room

� Kitchen

� Utility room

� Boot room

� Cloakroom

� Orangery

� Family room

� Cellars

� Master bedroom with large dressing room and shower room

� Three bedrooms on fi rst fl oor

� Two family bathrooms

� Family shower room

� Three further bedrooms on top fl oor

� Tank room/store

� Kitchen

� Detached gym

� Garden room and stores

� Swimming pool and pavilion with kitchen, shower and

changing rooms

� Triple garage

� Park-like gardens and grounds of around 9.94 acres

PROPERTY 19IN ASSOCIATION WITH

£2,999,995For sale through Hamptons 01892 516611 www.hamptons.co.uk

20 � PROPERTY


STREAM Farm is a delightful timber framed country house with origins dating back to the 16th-century. Situated in a magical corner of East Sussex, the property has been sympathetically improved with an oast style extension giving a modern twist along with an additional wing to the side. The character has been carefully retained and features include leaded light windows, exposed wall and ceiling beams and wooden drop-latch doors.

Points of note include a large drawing room with wood-burning stove, a modern country kitchen with Aga, a dining room with inglenook fire separated from the kitchen by open studwork, and a spacious utility room which is currently unused. The first floor features a large master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, four further bedrooms with one currently used as a study and a family bathroom.

Close to the house is a stylish detached oast, a later addition to the property and presented with

a high specification to provide flexible space. The roundel part of the ground floor currently serves as a gym with a wet room and cloakroom. The first floor is light and spacious with a high vaulted beamed ceiling, ideal for use as a studio or home office.

The grounds extend to 10.3 acres and include fields, woodland, an orchard, cottage garden, open bay garage with hay barn, pony stables and a Victorian-style greenhouse.

WENBANS LANE, WADHURST

n Grade II listed farmhouse

n Parts dating back to the 16th century

n Character features

n Drawing room

n Dining room

n Kitchen

n Utility room

n Cloakroom

n Master bedroom with en-suite bathroom

n Four further bedrooms (one used as study)

n Family bathroom

n Detached oast with gym, cloakroom, wet room, studio/office

n Two pony stables and hay barn

n Paddocks, fields and woodland

n In all 10.3 acres

£1,750,000For sale through Savills 01892 507000 www.savills.co.uk

AT A GLANCE

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

16th-century farmhouse hidden away in idyllic dell

Available with 100% Part Exchange* or Stamp Dutyt paid.

Prices from £420,000 to £1, 185,000

t e town centre an we pace or rant tat1on .

DUKES GRANGE, BAYHAM ROAD,

ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS TN2 SHU

CALL 01892 628 676 CALA.CO.UK

TWT06JAN tPlot specific incentive, for reservations taken before the 30th January 2016. Based on full asking price. Visit cala.co.uk/ terms for full terms and conditions. *CALA will obtain 2 independent valuations based on achieving a sale in a 4-6week period, part exchange considered subject to CALA's purchasing criteria, terms and conditions. Up to 100% part exchange and other incentives available on selected plots, subject to terms and conditions and not in conjunction with each other or any other offer. Visit cala.co.uk/ terms for full terms and conditions and purchasing criteria.


BUCKHURST Farm is a period country house that is thought to date from the early 1800s with a later addition in keeping with the original. The spacious interior provides excellent family accommodation and incorporates some notable features. There is great potential to modernise and improve.

The drawing room is well-proportioned with a wide bay window enjoying the views and an open fireplace with carved surround. The

sitting room features a corner fireplace and French doors to a loggia. The kitchen/breakfast room is a good size and there is a very useful pantry. On the first floor, the rooms really benefit from the views. The principal bedroom has a large en-suite bathroom and the three further bedrooms on this floor are all doubles and share a bathroom. A fifth and sixth bedroom can be found on the top floor, along with a large loft store.

The gardens and grounds provide a most attractive setting for the house and include a wide gravelled drive leading to the double garage with adjoining store. The gardens are separated from the paddocks by original whitened iron fencing. The excellent stable yard has a separate entrance and comprises four stables in an L-shape with a five-bay open store, barn with adjoining outbuilding and further outbuildings. In all there is approximately 10.5 acres.

Spectacular rural views from charming period house

COWDEN POUND ROAD,MARKBEECH

� Fine country house

� Outstanding rural views

� Entrance hall

� Drawing room

� Sitting room

� Dining room

� Loggia

� Cellar

� Kitchen/breakfast room

� Pantry/utility room

� Tack room

� Master bedroom with large en-suite

bathroom

� Three further bedrooms on fi rst fl oor

� Bathroom and separate WC

� Two bedrooms on top fl oor

� Loft store room

� Double garage

� Stabling

� Barn and outbuildings

� Gardens and paddocks

� In all 10.5 acres

£1,595,000For sale through Hamptons 01892 516611 www.hamptons.co.uk

AT A GLANCE

22 PROPERTYIN ASSOCIATION WITH

TUNBRIDGE WELLS 23 High Street, Tunbridge Wells

Kent TN11 UT Sales


Letting & Management 01892 528888

[email protected]

SOUTH BOROUGH 124 London Road, Southborough Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN4 OPL

Tel: 01892 511311 south borough@wooda ndpilcher. co. uk

HEATH FIELD 27 High Street, Heathfield

East Sussex TN21 8JR Tel: 01435 862211

[email protected]

TONBRIDGE 38 High Street, Tonbridge, Kent

TN91EJ Tel: 01732 351135

[email protected]

Associated Park Lane London Office

woodandpilcher. co. uk

CROWBOROUGH The Cross, Crowborough

East Sussex TN61AL Sales


Letting & Management 01892 664666

[email protected]

SMARD EN' KENT

Barn conversion + 2 bedrooms + 2 bathrooms + reception room + private garden + driveway parking + idyllic rural location + close to Smarden village + EPC rating = C

£1,400 pcm + £276 inc VAT tenancy paperwork fee and other charges may apply*

*£36 inc VAT for each additional tenant/occupant/guarantor reference where required. Inventory check out fee - charged at the end of or early termination

of the tenancy and the amount is dependent on the property size and whether furnished/ unfurnished. For more details including example inventory fee , visit www.savills.eo.uk/fees.

New Year, New Home ... ?

Downsizing

Lookingfor a project

Moving to be closer to the f amiJy

Upsiz.ing d P ,11 paddock Larger gar en or ory

Closer to local amenities \> . .---- ..

School catchment 7{? \~

'11 Ea~ commute

Early movers can really take advantage of the New Year market.

If you' re considering a move in 2016, call Savills to ensure

you keep your New Year's resolution.

Savills Tunbridge Wells 53 High Street Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1XU 01892 507000 [email protected]

savills.co.uk

Robert Jacobs Natasha Selbie d • Associate

~ A 01892 507000 • - [email protected]

savills

we open doors torrou... BarnesKingsnorth

• Make the right ove1n

ntact the t am

BarnesKingsnorth

Call us for your FREE VALUATION

, ,' : · . Q)Primelocatior

- · . , .. ~!~~~.?!~:":. Residential Pembury: 01892 822880 Tonbridge: 01732 771616 Lettings: 01732 771616

Sales & !Lettings e. pemburyrabkea.co.uk e. tonbridgerabkea .co.uk e. Lettings rabkea.co.uk www.bkestatea1ents.com

Wells Bedding and Interiors 44 High Street, Tunbridge Wells TN 1 1 XF 01892 535555

www.wellsinteriors.co.uk since 1925

-~~ • ~ •liijMI@• h··1st "" GRANGE Vl""SPRING tom schneider u a ... 9.I~M!!~H· L ES MEUBLES OE FAMILLE perfectly curved design

The best beds in the world "4{..~ the ultimate recliner

ligne rose~· ReLF 21 ! ,~ ercol DUnlODillo a BrinklJ.aus IENZ LEOUJX ENGLA N D S INCE 1920 DESIGNED FO R SOUND SLEEP

CASH BUYER, £450,000

A young city couple, looking to escape the rat race

Would like a rural, leafy retreat with plenty of outside space

Looking for two or three bedrooms for their family to increase

Must have plenty of character and set in a haven of peace

A period home not far from the station East Sussex would be their perfect location

Original features are wanted it seems Maybe something old with plenty of beams

CASH BUYERS, £625,000 A perfect barn they live in, bespoke, in a quiet spot But upkeep and maintenance, costs them quite a lot Wanting something smaller, not a change for the bad Edge of village, a cottage, for that they would be glad Noise drives them both insane, neither of them desire

Just the crackling of their very own log fire Some close family are local, so they daren't go far

15 minutes to Cranbrook in their little car Getting older, with fragile bones; planning ahead

So would love somewhere downstairs, to put their kin size bed

She feels as if she hit a crossroads having been made a redundant wife Blissfully happy with a home, husband, children but fate changed her life

The other woman was determined to win: he was totally besotted impervious of the pain

He inflicted on his poor wife and his children and that they would have to leave to start again

The family home is now sold. T..he lawyers battled to carve up:..t;.:..h:.::e;._..-_• spoils and decided her share

o now I is 'onwards and upwards' to find a new home, schools, a job where she can use her flair

~ pen plan with lo~.of-tight and space, a bedroom each so that will be four. Something needing tic

UJ:H ......... --rhea1:t, . .energy and time into creating a warm and ~ lliillAD-~he for her fa -µy

IN RENTED I £580,000

A space is required for uncle to come

And stay with the family in one spacious home

An annexe with bedroom, bathroom and living room in

To escape the niece and nephews from their busy playing

The family dog needs somewhere to run

And with all of the children having some fun

A large garden SR perfec r al

If you can help 't m to meve please give..us a,c

CASH BUYER £700,000

Wanting to move down from Catford And hoping to head towards Ashford To make the most of the fast train line

This is the best way to save commuting time

A rural location in a quiet spot The position important, the rest is not They would love some outbuildings too They will consider anything old or new

No road or rail noise please There are cats to keep safe and appease

Their furry best friends are the focus of their search

So everything hangs on Bill Ben and Lurch

UNDER OFFER £1,500,000

A generous family home this couple desire

But not ready made, a project . they require

With two little girls who just love to have fun

To let out the energy they would need a garden to run

Country views would be nice, pretty and relaxing

Even the garden design can be easy or taxing

Pretty fireplace a must and large reception rooms too

Open minded with location so Kent or , 6ast Sussex would do If your home needs repair a

a bit of a; tention ,1~1 1111: .... -... - . . ""'· o are your uyer: ea ~ ,11

be sure to rin the : I

CASH BUYER £2,000,000

After a local success story which made him loads of money

This developer is the like the bear that got all the honey

Grade II listed is a challenge but not a problem for him

A grand portfolio, another project he would like to add in

Not scared of spending a couple of million or more

Planning restrictions would be the only flaw

A house, farm, an estate or just a foot print

To create a few homes, without making him skint

If .o h~ a wreck, the t

U and we

NON-DEPENDENT SALE, £800,000

Their family lab loves to walk and run around all day long So moving out of their dream home they must not get wrong

The children left, they flew the nest quite some time ago =""'-··•""-' ~ ~ ~ ,..,,.~

2_ow hey bumble about in,.a.house too---6i~f which they

both know Coastal walks they really like to have a short drive away

3 bedrooms but a large-garden so their dog can play N9 busy roads, nothing attached, they know what they

are looking for Fromrttaw burst to the coast, they will be

~an~ ing ~r:1 y. ·ur door

O INRENTED O £675,000

Fascinated by Kent and East Sussex, they've relocated from up North In rented and chain free, they're

able to go forth Two elderly horses are their

pride and joy . Therefore, a paddock is required for

them to enjoy Renting an old farmhouse, they really

love the feel So some period features would be

bound to seal the deal In Ewhurst Green at the moment in a

beautiful leafy spot In the winter months the fireplace has

been used quite a lot Road noise can ea roblem, but any

are - do There must e4 ts options, just

nothing brand spanking new. If you think you ome is f rt

f rie nd"1,<~otlt1'tE~

Please give us last pie


30 PROPERTY IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Why use a landscape designer?The easiest way of getting the most out of your garden is to use a professional to design your outside space.

Designers will create a scheme that suits your own unique lifestyle, so spend time thinking about what you need and want from the space.

Ask yourself if watering will be a problem in summer, will the paths need to accommodate wheelchair access, does it need to look good all year round, or at specific points in the year, or is privacy key to the design?

Work out which way your garden faces and factor in storage for bikes, tools and wheelie bins. Decide if low maintenance is important or a garden that you can potter around in where you don’t mind the work involved, as both will be important in designing the dream oasis.

What qualifications should a garden designer have? When looking for a designer, ask about their qualifications and experience. They should hold a relevant degree or be members of the Society of Garden Designers (SGD), or the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI).

When making your choice, ask to see

drawings or photos of previous work — ideally the designer will have a portfolio — or they may even be able to show you around one of their previous projects.

Professional designers use a range of different titles and formal training is not necessarily a prerequisite for calling yourself a landscape designer, so make sure you are using someone capable of delivering the job that you’re paying for.

What should I expect when working with a designer?Want to be in your garden all day and evening? An outdoor dining area might be fundamental to the way you utilise the space, which will also mean your designer should have plans for outdoor lighting, a heat source and possibly a music system or speakers.

Once you’ve made your choice, your designer will do a site visit, listen to all ideas and work within your budget to come up with a few draft ideas.

Two or three concepts will be sketched out and presented to you as scale drawings so that the project can be priced and set out accurately. The drawings will provide an idea of the final design, showing how the garden will be divided

up and which plants will be used where.Some designers can be self-indulgent, so

be firm about your brief. Occasionally, you may need to meet them halfway. A good designer should offer advice on the feasibility of your project and provide advice on which plants will do well in the garden and why. They should discuss why a ‘quick fix’ is to buy semi-mature plants but, if budget is a problem, use quick-growing annuals for the first year to fill gaps while the main plants become established.

It’s also a good idea to ask for a detailed plant list and plan with brief notes about what sort of care and maintenance they will require on an annual basis.

What about budget?It is important to plan your budget for landscaping as this is often left out or eaten away as a build nears completion. Many people end up using it as a contingency fund rather than as a necessary cost in itself.

When determining the budget, we suggest looking at the value of your property. Five per cent of the value is a good rule of thumb, so think carefully about going above this, especially if you might sell.

Landscaping for the new yearLandscaping for the new yearWith Christmas out of the way, and Spring hopefully not too far in the

future, Andrew Worster, of WW Landscapes, talks garden design

01892 890080 | wwlandscapes.co.uk WW Landscapes, 17 Pearse Place, Lamberhurst, Tunbridge Wells TN3 8EJ

‘A good designer should offer advice on the feasibility of your project and provide advice on which plants will do well in the garden and why’

LANDSCAPINGExpert Andrew Worster

DIGGING DEEPGardener George Woodhouse

I] /andrewsonline

~ @andrewsonline

andrewsonline.co.uk

Culverden Square, Tunbridge Wells, TN4

•

Guide £215,000 One bedroom garden apartment set in a private cul-de-sac within 0.4 mile ofTunbridge Wells town centre. With own entrance, double bedroom, living room, kitchen, bathroom and gardens to front and rear. The property has been modernised and is being sold without the seller buying on.

Energy Efficiency Rating : D

Hazelwood Close, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 Guide £285,000 Three bedroom semi-detached house. The property has an entrance porch, open plan living including, living area, dining area, arch to kitchen and double doors to conservatory. Upstairs a landing, three bedroom and bathroom. Driveway, garage, garden to front and rear. No Chain!

Energy Efficiency Rating : C

Tunbridge Wells Sales 01892 515 144 [email protected]. uk

Springview Apartments, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 £700pcm This one bedroom, upper ground floor apartment is located only 0.6 miles from High Brooms train station. The accommodation comprises hallway with deep storage cupboard, living room, double bedroom, kitchen with some appliances and a bathroom with shower over the bath. Other features include allocated off road parking to the rear and communal garden. Energy Efficiency Rating : C

ANDREWS

Yew Tree Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 Guide £500,000-£550,000 Detached 3 double bedroom family home set back on a plot that has parking for a number of vehicles and a 54' x 29'4 rear garden with pond. The mainline station is 0.6 mile and St. John's Primary school is 0.5 mile from the home. Notable features include a fireplace, an AGA, separate utility room, exposed wood floors, and views!


Brentor Court, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 £895pcm This two double bedroom, first floor purpose built flat is situated within a one mile walk of the mainline station in High Brooms and offers access to the A21 and the North Farm Industrial Estate. The property comprises two double bedrooms, one with built-in wardrobes, modern bathroom with electric shower over the bath, kitchen with some appliances and lounge/dining room. The property also benefits from off-road parking for two cars, double glazing throughout and green views to the rear.


Nursery Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 £1150pcm This three bedroom end of terrace home is located on the Southborough/Tunbridge Wells borders, giving access to High Brooms Station 0.25 miles away and nearby shops in Silverdale Road. Tunbridge Wells Town Centre is approx 1 mile from the property. The property offers a living room and kitchen/dining room on the ground floor. To the lst floor is the master bedroom, study area and bathroom. There is a further two bedrooms on the 2nd floor.To the outside is a courtyard garden and side access. Additional benefits include gas fired central heating and replacement double glazing.

Energy Efficiency Rating : E

Tunbridge Wells lettings 01892 525 551 Sales I Lettings I Financial Services I New Homes I Surveyors ~ -tri) ~ [email protected] leasehold Management I Property Management I Conveyancing ~ .~ . ~

flt,to .lljonto Ro,- .i Loruog.1.Qoou

Stunning principal portion ofa substantial country home

SNAPE HOUSE SNAPE LANE, WADHURST

£1,850,000

S NAPE House boasts a significant part of a substantial country home near Wadhurst, sympathetically refurbished to modern standards

and offering spacious and characterful accommodation. Built by wealthy ironmaster David Barham in 1617, his coat of arms can be seen in various guises throughout the house.

This spectacular period house is bursting with character and features, including decoratively carved oak joinery, high ceilings, double width front door, impressive entrance hall with balustrade minstrel’s gallery above, parquet flooring and fireplaces. The ground floor has a dining room, a drawing room which opens into a conservatory, freezer room and loggia, as well as a substantial games room with a

built-in bar. There is a modern fitted kitchen/breakfast room and a separate utility room, and a cloakroom and shower room off it. Two separate cellar areas lie beneath the house, one of which is used as a boiler room.

Upstairs there is a spacious master bedroom suite with en-suite wet room, three further double bedrooms, one with an en-suite shower room, and a stylish family bathroom, further WC and a useful laundry area. On the top floor is a large and interesting bedroom with a vast barrell-vaulted ceiling.

The mature gardens and grounds extend to around 6.1 acres, with a sheltered swimming pool area, kitchen garden, an orchard and a paddock. The property is accessed through magnificent gates and along a long private drive to a parking area.

32 PROPERTY


£1,850,000 - For sale through Savills 01892 507000 www.savills.co.uk

� Principal portion of a

magnifi cent country home

� Built in 1617

� Rural fringe of popular

village

� Reception hall

� Drawing room

� Dining room

� Conservatory

� Games room

� Kitchen/breakfast room

� Utility room

� Freezer room

� Shower room/cloakroom

� Two cellar rooms

� Landing with minstrel’s

gallery

� Master bedroom with wet

room

� Three further bedrooms, one

en-suite

� Family bathroom

� Laundry area

� WC

� Attic bedroom

� Garage

� Loggia

� Landscaped gardens

� Heated swimming pool

� Orchard

� Paddock

� In all 6.1 acres

AT A GLANCE


PROPERTY 33

Stunning principal portion ofa substantial country home

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

‘This spectacular period house is bursting

with character and features’


SET in Hadlow, Castle Gardens is an attractive family home that has been extended over the years. The property benefits from a detached self-contained annexe and is set in a central, tucked away location within delightful part-walled gardens.

The ground floor accommodation comprises a reception hall, drawing room, sitting room, study, kitchen/breakfast/family room with fitted appliances, utility room and cloakroom.

Upstairs, the master bedroom has an outlook to the front, three skylight windows and a stylish en-suite shower room. There are two bedrooms that both have en-suite bath/shower rooms and direct access to a spacious roof terrace. Two further bedrooms and a family bathroom complete the first floor. Arranged over the second floor are two separate bedroom areas and a cloakroom.

The annexe above and behind the garage has

a stylish kitchen/breakfast room and shower room on the ground floor and stairs leading up to a vaulted reception room and bedroom with an additional bathroom on the first floor.

The house is approached via electric gates over a gravel drive which leads to a rear parking area and the garage. The gardens feature large areas of lawn, a paved terrace and a high brick wall, formerly the boundary wall to Hadlow Castle kitchen gardens. The land totals 0.8 of an acre.

Tucked away location within part-walled gardens

COURT LANE, HADLOW

� Attractive detached family house

� Tucked away setting close to village centre

� Set within part-walled gardens

� Detached one-bedroom annexe

� Reception hall

� Drawing room

� Dining room

� Sitting room

� Study

� Kitchen/breakfast/family room

� Utility room

� Cloakroom

� Master bedroom with shower room

� Four further fi rst fl oor bedrooms, two en-suite

� Family bathroom

� Two further bedroom areas and WC on top fl oor

� Garaging and parking

� Delightful gardens on 0.8 of an acre

£1,500,000For sale through Savills 01732 789700 www.savills.co.uk

AT A GLANCE

34 PROPERTYIN ASSOCIATION WITH

1-kMJProperty Your local independent Estate Agent

... contactable 7 days a week

www.kmjproperty.co.uk 01892 515188 [email protected] 9':I Find us on

111111 Facebook <i)n TheMarketcom

36 � PROPERTY


FINISHED to a very high standard, this substantial and energy-efficient new build property offers excellent family accommodation extending to 3,642sq ft. Cheriton Lodge is situated to the south of Groombridge and occupies a good position, set well back from the road. The house sits within an area of outstanding natural beauty and is less than a mile from the Ashdown Forest.

The ground floor features an entrance hall, spacious drawing room with bi-folding doors to the garden, impressive kitchen/dining/family room with two sets of bi-folding doors, family room, utility room, study and shower room. The five bedrooms on the first floor include a very good sized master bedroom overlooking the rear garden, with a dressing area and en-suite bathroom. A further bedroom lies on the top floor.

The house has energy-saving features including a thermo dynamic heating system and solar system for electricity, resulting in very low heating bills. It is approached over a driveway with a large parking area leading to a detached double garage with two store rooms. There are gardens to the front and rear of the house. The front garden has been landscaped, but the rear garden has not been completed and will be left for a purchaser to finish.

CHERRY GARDENS HILL, GROOMBRIDGE

n Newly built

n High spec and energy efficient

n Entrance hall

n Drawing room

n Study

n Family room

n Kitchen/dining/reception room

n Utility room

n Shower room

n Master bedroom with dressing area and bathroom

n Four bedrooms on first floor, two en-suite

n Further bedroom on top floor

n Detached garage with two store rooms

n Large parking area

n Gardens of around an acre

£1,250,000For sale through Knight Frank 01892 515035 www.knightfrank.co.uk

AT A GLANCE

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

New energy-efficient home in Groombridge with modern trimmings

DWELLY BARN DWELLY LANE, HAXTED

£975,000

38 � PROPERTY


DWELLY Barn is an impressive Grade II listed barn conversion situated in a delightful semi-rural position in the village of Haxted, near Edenbridge. The property has been extended and refurbished throughout by the current owners and is finished to a high standard.

This stylishly presented accommodation has period features including exposed wall and ceiling timbers, vaulted ceilings, wooden panelled doors, oak casement windows and exterior doors. The ground floor features an entrance hall, reception hall, sitting room, family room, kitchen/breakfast room and dining room. There is also a ground floor bedroom with en-suite shower room, utility room, cloakroom and downstairs bathroom.

A staircase on one side of the sitting room rises to a bedroom with en-suite bathroom. Two further bedrooms are accessed via a staircase on the other side of the sitting room and are served by the bathroom below.

Dwelly Barn’s entrance is via two five-bar gates and a driveway provides off road parking for a number of vehicles and leads to a double garage – which benefits from a store room above and has planning permission to convert to ancillary accommodation.

Externally, the property boasts an attractive part-walled garden and there are two storage sheds.

Stylish barn conversion filled withcharacter


PROPERTY � 39IN ASSOCIATION WITH

AT A GLANCE

n Grade II listed barn conversion

n Extended and refurbished

n Stylish presentation

n Entrance hall

n Reception hall

n Sitting room

n Family room

n Kitchen/breakfast room

n Dining room

n Utility room

n Cloakroom

n Ground floor master bedroom

with en-suite bathroom

n Ground floor bathroom

n First floor guest bedroom with

en-suite

n Two further bedrooms

n Double garage with store and

permission to convert to ancillary

accommodation

n Attractive part-walled gardens

n Private parking

£975,000For sale through Savills

01732 789700, www.savills.co.uk

‘This stylishly presented accommodation has period features including exposed wall and ceiling timbers’

BY DEBORAH MILLER

1 GET YOUR MORTGAGE AGREED FIRSTAlthough borrowing from banks

and building societies has improved recently, it is not a given. So to avoid disappointment, check you can get the mortgage you need before starting the process. You can get a mortgage agreement in principle secured first, but remember that this is an indication and not a legal agreement.

2DECIDE WHETHER YOU ARE HAPPY TO RELY ON THE MORTGAGE LENDER’S

VALUATION OR DO YOU REQUIRE A FULL SURVEY. A lender’s valuation is an assessment carried out by and for the benefit of the lender in order to check that the property presents adequate security for its loan should you default and the property has to be sold. However, it does not report on actual faults in the property. For many, a Home Buyer’s Report, which will expose problems such as damp, dry rot and subsidence, is adequate but if you are buying an older house or unusual home a full structural survey will be a wise investment. You wouldn’t buy a car without the

knowledge of a service history, so why would you run this financial risk when buying a house?

3REMEMBER TO FACTOR IN THE TRUE COST OF MOVING. Mortgage arrangement fees,

survey fees, legal costs and removal costs are all substantial costs of moving. However, the often overlooked but most expensive cost is Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) which varies dependent on the value of the property purchased. If you purchase a property above £125,000 SDLT becomes payable. Recent changes to SDLT have been introduced to try to make the tax fairer. Under the old regime the SDLT percentage rates increased at various thresholds. Under the old rules SDLT was payable at a single rate on the whole transaction value. From 4th December 2014, SDLT is payable on a sliding scale depending on the portion of the purchase price that falls within each rate band. There is no doubt that the SDLT changes will be of benefit to many home buyers. For example, under the old regime, Stamp Duty Land Tax payable on a purchase price of £350,000 would be £10,500 and under the new regime it would be £7,500 - representing a saving of £3,000.

4CHOOSE YOUR CONVEYANCING SOLICITORS WITH CARE

If you take the risk of buying without the support and guidance of an expertly trained legal conveyancer, you run the risk of walking into a financial booby trap which can seriously hamper your progression up the property ladder. You should also make sure you know who you are instructing and that the firm is registered with a regulatory body such as the Solicitors Regulation Authority. There are bogus law firms out there who will take your money and then close up shop which means you lose the money and your dream home. That is why it is essential that you get the advice and guidance you need every step of the way from a known reputable law firm. They are there to help you avoid the pitfalls of what can be a murky area.

The cheapest option may not always prove to be the best. Remember, this may well be the biggest purchase you’ll make and you want to be sure that you know what you are buying. You should be able to contact your conveyancer and fully understand what is happening at each step of the move. If you are not sure, ask! One further point to bear in mind is that your conveyancer

will not visit the property themselves, so should there be something you feel uncertain about bring it to their attention and they will provide you with the options available in order to try to resolve the issue.

5REMEMBER TO ARRANGE BUILDING INSURANCE FROM THE DATE OF THE EXCHANGE

OF CONTRACTS. From exchange of contracts you will be legally responsible for the structure of the property. This is often overlooked and can potentially have serious consequences. Make sure you have buildings insurance cover in place from this date.

With this being said and the potential risks of buying a home with hidden problems amounting to thousands of pounds in potential outgoings, why would you cut corners for the sake of a few pounds when the risks are so large?

For your FREE copy of The Kent Guide to Buying and Selling your Home, or for further advice regarding your buying/selling experience, contact Max Barford Solicitors in Tunbridge Wells today and speak to one of my property team on 01892 539 379 or email [email protected]

Thinking of moving home soon?You’ve made the decision to move, found your dream home and your offer has been accepted. Feelings of excitement and apprehension set in and all you want is the whole process to end with you safely ensconced in your new home. So what steps can you take to ensure that the process will run smoothly and costly mistakes are avoided? Well, skimping on surveys and conveyancing can cost you dearly in the long run. So here are some top tips to help your move go as smoothly as possible.

Max Barford & Co. is a trading name of Parfitt Cresswell. Parfitt Cresswell is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. No. 71480

For a free copy of the Kent Guide to Buying and Selling Your Home or for further advice regarding your home buying/selling experience just complete and cut out this coupon and post to the address below. Alternatively call or email us today quoting reference MBRTO104

Telephone 01892 539 379 or Email [email protected]

Name

Address

Tel.No

Email

Max Barford & Co16 Mount Pleasant Road Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1QUwww.maxbarford.co.uk

HOME MOVERS GUIDE

FREE


40 � ADVERTISING FEATURE


INTERVIEW n 41

Hitting the high notes at Soprano

they’re on a big table where it’s being ordered. Sometimes you go to a restaurant that serves a starter and a main course, but if one of them isn’t good or doesn’t meet your expectations, your meal is ruined. But if you’re eating 15 dishes and you don’t like one, you’ve got 14 others to choose from.

Is there a big social aspect to the restaurant as well?People in Soprano socialise a lot; they’re chatting, sharing and talking a lot on the same table, or from one table to another, whereas if you’ve got a starter and a main course, you concentrate only on eating the food. Here, there’s always sharing and chatting because the food isn’t coming all at once; it comes and goes and people want to try the different dishes and understand what they are.

Would you say there’s a big demand for this type of dining experience in the town?There’s a big community in Tunbridge Wells of English people who have travelled to Spain, but there was nothing for them to come back to. People who go to Spain come to Soprano to have

that same holiday feeling and chat about where they’ve been.

So, is it just about Spanish food?I think Soprano is a bit of a mix of Spain and southern Italy. People know the restaurant and want to see what’s happening. We don’t just do Spanish; we have a bit of everything. I’m not a great believer in going to a Spanish restaurant and having only Spanish food and drink, because that creates a limitation. You need to keep searching for new products, new spirits, new cocktails and new ingredients.

Finally, what are your hopes for 2016?When we opened, we were fully booked a month in advance for the first nine months, and in a few years’ time, we’re going to be one of the oldest private restaurants in Tunbridge Wells, which we’re really proud of. We’re looking to hopefully open another place this year, but when, where and how remains to be seen. We’ve got quite a few plans, but it’s going to be completely different and not Spanish. We like challenging ourselves, so it’s important to keep changing something every year, while keeping the identity the same.

•

NO EVEN MORE ITEMS

UPTO

OFF WOMEN'S FASHION, MENSWEAR ACCESSORIES AND HOMEWARES


FOOD AND DRINK n 43

Meringue magic

Sieve the almonds into a bowl with the icing sugar and mix until incorporated. With an electric hand whisk or standalone mixer, mix in the egg white to make a thick, smooth paste.

Divide the mixture into two bowls, and colour with your chosen food colouring (go slightly darker than you’d like, as the colour will dilute when folded into the white meringue later).

Next, start on the meringue. Pour the caster sugar into a deep roasting dish lined with baking paper and place in a hot oven for seven minutes, until the sugar gets very hot to the touch but doesn’t melt.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites to a stiff peak, so they are just ready (not over whisked) when the sugar comes out of the oven.

Take the sugar out of the oven and turn oven temperature down to 150C. Then, teaspoon by teaspoon, spoon the hot sugar into the stiff egg whites (still whisking on top speed). Take your time with this to get the meringue as stiff as possible.

Continue whisking until the bowl feels cool to the touch (about five to 10 minutes).

Next, divide the meringue mixture into two and, using a wooden spoon, fold the meringue into the two bowls

of almond paste, being careful not to knock out the air.

Fill a piping bag, with a 1B nozzle, with the mix and pipe out small round

mounds (about the size of a 2p coin) on to

parchment paper-lined baking trays. Bash the tray against the worktop about three times to remove air

pockets, then

let the macarons form a skin (this normally takes about 30 minutes at room temperature). You can tell if its ready to go in the oven by running a finger gently across the top of the shells and seeing if it doesn’t stick (it shouldn’t!)

Bake for around 14-16 minutes. To check if they are ready to come out, wiggle a fingertip right to left atop one of the macarons; if the top doesn’t come away from the feet (the bottom of the macarons) then they are good to go.

When they come out of the oven, immediately slide the macarons off the tray on to a cool counter to shock them – otherwise they will stick to the paper when you try to remove them. Let them cool completely before trying to remove from the tray.While the macaron shells are cooling, start on the buttercream filling.

Mix together the egg whites and sugar in a large metal or glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until the sugar crystals have dissolved and mixture is warm to touch (to check this, rub it between two fingers).

Transfer the mixture carefully to the standalone mixer or bowl with a handheld electric mixer, and whisk until stiff peaks form. Keep whisking on full speed until the meringue is at room temperature – and at the same time, while whisking, add the butter in small chunks. Keep whisking until the buttercream resembles the look of whipped cream.

Flavour as you wish. Vanilla is always a safe bet, but there are an abundance of great flavours, including lemon curd, melted chocolate, essences, or pistachio paste.

Sandwich each shell with some buttercream and enjoy!

Tip: Unfilled shells can be frozen for up to a month; filled shells can be frozen for up to a week, and will keep well outside the fridge in a sealed container for two to three days.

Gemma Dunn

IF THERE’S one season that epitomises Alex Hoffler and Stacey O’Gorman – aka the Meringue Girls – it’s this one: The festive, glittery, party period that takes us through from Christmas into the New Year. And they’re the first to admit that they don’t do things by halves.

“We’re obsessed!” cries a passionate O’Gorman. “It’s our favourite time of year, as it’s when you can get the most sparkly.”

From elaborate pavlovas to plush, punk-pink rainbow cakes, the chefs and food stylists – both still in their 20s – have been taking the baking scene by storm with their vibrant and pioneering creations.

Feeling inspired? Here is a glitzy Meringue Girls recipe to try at home...

Taste the rainbow macarons(Makes 40-45)

For the almond paste:200g blanched ground almonds, sieved200g icing sugar80g free-range egg whites (about 3 medium eggs)Food colouring of your choice

For the meringue:200g caster sugar100g free-range egg white (about 3 medium eggs)

For the buttercream:500g caster sugar250g egg white500g unsalted butter (room temperature)Flavouring of your choice

METHOD

44 ■ MOTORS


By Ed Wiseman

MERCEDES has killed off the much-liked SLK model and replaced it with a revised car dubbed the SLC.

As part of the Stuttgart-based firm’s new naming structure, the SLC aligns with the C-Class in terms of size and architecture.

What’s more, the fabulous V8-powered SLK 55 AMG is no more, having been replaced with

a bi-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 with slightly less power and torque, but lower emissions, a more flexible character and the name SLC 43.

There will be two turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol versions with 181bhp and 241bhp respectively, but diesel devotees will be disappointed to see the clattery old 2.1-litre 201bhp unit still the only choice. It had been hoped that a quieter version would have been introduced for the new convertible.

Only the 181bhp SLC 200 will have a manual gearbox. The SLC 300, 250d and 43 AMG will use a nine-speed automatic as standard.

Mercedes has moved the SLC away from outright performance and sportiness to focus more on infotainment and safety. Automatic emergency braking has been introduced, with a five-mode LED headlight system optional.

Mapping for the COMAND Online infotainment system is now topographical, while with a compatible smartphone connected it can access internet radio, online apps and more. Text messages can be read aloud and there are two USB ports for charging phones or connecting music devices.

The electrically folding hard top roof can now be opened or closed at up to 25mph or so, and in a stroke of genius the boot divider, which prevents the mechanism fouling any luggage and has always been a manually-operated chore, has now been automated. With the roof up there is an impressive 335 litres of boot space.

Prices are expected to be confirmed closer to spring next year, but will move upwards from the outgoing SLK’s current entry price of £33,020, which buys a diesel in base trim.

A unique version of the iconic Land Rover Defender, and the 2,000,000th example ever built has sold at auction for £400,000.

The special version, called ‘Defender 2,000,000’ was built in May this year by a number of brand ambassadors and notable people from the history of Land Rover, including Bear Grylls,

Motoring news Mercedes SLCLand Rover Defender

55 AMG is no more, having been replaced with new convertible.

Virginia McKenna, OBE and Stephen and Nick Wilks, sons of the founders of Land Rover.

Sold to a bidder from Qatar, all proceeds from the sale are being donated to Land Rover charity partners, including the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Born Free Foundation, who plan to use the funds to support the ‘Project Lion Rover’ wildlife conservation initiative in Meru National Park, Kenya.

The Defender 2,000,000 has a number of distinctive features, including an engraved map of Red Wharf Bay – where the design for the original Land Rover was first drawn in the sand – and a unique ‘no 2,000,000’ badge, with both elements repeated inside. A bespoke aluminium plaque, signed by everyone who helped to assemble the vehicle, is fitted to the driver’s seat. It also wears S90 HUE registration plates, referencing the first ever pre-production Land Rover, registration ‘HUE 166’.

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Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3DS Tel: 01892 598874

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By Laura Ivill

“COME fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away,” sings Frank Sinatra on the speakers of my red open-top Jeep as I zip along the Californian highway to visit one of his desert homes.

It may be a century since Ol’ Blue Eyes was born on December 12, 1915, in the rough end of New Jersey, but he will always be a legend, one of the greatest singers of all time; and it was here, in his playground of Palm Springs, that he lived the life that millions around the world envied.

It’s still a playground – golf, tennis, horse riding, hiking in the mountains, cocktails and pool parties – with desert-dry, year-round sunshine. But it’s also a global hotspot for lovers of architecture (it has the biggest concentration of Modernist architecture in the world) and the golden age of Hollywood.

It once attracted the biggest names in entertainment, eager to enjoy a post-war lifestyle that had nothing to do with conflict and austerity, and everything to do with prosperity, growth, glamour and fun.

Located at the western end of the Coachella Valley, surrounded and protected on all sides by mountain ranges soaring from the desert floor to 3,300m, the city claims 350 days of sunshine a year. Native palms spring from the aquifer, a vast natural reservoir beneath the dust, and the drive into the ultra-low-rise city feels like a journey back in time.

At the wheel of my red Desert Adventures Jeep is friendly tour guide Bob Gross, who shares anecdotes about Frank Sinatra’s life in the desert as we tour the neighbourhood where he

lived, Vista Las Palmas. Frank made the desert his home and was a generous benefactor, hence a street – Frank Sinatra Drive – has been named after him.

Twin Palms was Frank’s first desert home, and Bob drives me to the kerbside. Gardeners are reseeding the front lawn under a cloudless blue sky, 28C in November, with soaring, rocky mountains etching the skyline

and bougainvillea bursting over hedges of manicured gardens up and down the ungated street.

Twin Palms is an architectural peach. As early as the 1940s, teenage girls were going wild at Frank’s shows – he was in the movies, and success brought big bucks. The story goes that in May 1947, he showed up at new Palm Springs architecture firm Williams, Williams & Williams having made his first million. Frank wanted a house, a grand mock-Georgian pile as a badge of his arrival. The young architect, E. Stewart Williams, had a different idea, but gave Frank the choice of the Georgian estate versus his Modernist low-slung, steel-and-glass, inside-outside bungalow. Frank chose the latter and Twin Palms, with its piano-shaped pool (rent it at www.sinatrahouse.com), was ready for his wife, Nancy, and their three children to move into that Christmas.

You name it, Frank sang it – Strangers in the Night, New York, New York, I’ve Got You Under my Skin, My Way – earning him a huge number of Grammy Awards and even more nominations, spanning a career of more than seven decades, until his death, aged 82, in 1998.

His reputation as a drinker, a womaniser and a gambler, prone to violent outbursts when drunk and with connections to the mob, which he always denied, only added to his appeal. He was a hard-living “man’s man”, happiest when hanging out with his Rat Pack pals whose Vista Las Palmas homes Bob and I stop outside.

46 ■ TRAVEL


PYRAMIDVisitor center in Palm Springs

Getting under the skin of Palm Springs‘It’s still a playground – golf, tennis, horse riding, hiking in the mountains, cocktails and pool parties’

TRAVEL FACTS

Laura Irvill was a guest of the Palm Springs tourist board. See www.visitpalmsprings.com.

Air New Zealand (www.airnewzealand.co.uk/cheap-fl ights-to-los-angeles) fl ies daily from London to LA, from £404 return in economy and £961 in premium economy.

Doubles at The Saguaro Palm Springs start from 89 US dollars (£59) room-only (www.thesaguaro.com).

For Desert Adventures Jeep tours, visit www.red-jeep.com; for Palm Springs Historical Society walking tours, visit pshistoricalsociety.org and for architecture tours, go to www.palmspringsmoderntours.com

PYRAMIDVisitor center in Palm Springs

GREETINGWelcome to

Palm Springs


TRAVEL ■ 47

Getting under the skin of Palm SpringsHe was also extremely generous and a big tipper.

At one of his favourite hangouts, Melvyn’s at the Ingleside Inn, the maitre d’ tells me that he liked to sit in a booth by the kitchen (he was as fussy about his food as he was about his cleanliness) and would pop back-of-house to hand out 100 dollar bills to the staff.

Melvyn’s was a favourite nightspot, and Frank held a pre-wedding dinner here before marrying his fourth wife, Barbara. Proprietor of Melvyn’s,Mel Haber, 79, will happily chat about the times he hosted Frank, and every other celebrity in town.

I go for a midweek lunch and order a hilarious fresh crab and avo salad in the shape of a wide-mouthed frog. It’s quiet but I’m told by a Palm Springs’ resident – an uber-successful LA-based interior-decorator-to-the-stars – that the hip crowd love it exactly because it’s the Melvyn’s of yesteryear, and it’s heaving at the weekends.

After its mid-century heyday, Palm Springs lost ground as its stars migrated to other cities in the desert and beyond. In the past decade, however, the area has shaken off its “golf and retirees” reputation, when it was known as God’s Waiting Room.

Cool, laid-back, small-scale boutique hotels have opened, such as The Saguaro, which has given a pop new look to an old Holiday Inn, in a paintbox of colours inspired by the desert’s flowers, and recreated the Palm Springs’ pool-party vibe.

Historic buildings all over the city have been saved from the bulldozer and are being given a new lease of life; downtown is buzzing – there’s a funky market, Villagefest, on the main street (Palm Canyon Drive) every Thursday evening – and uptown, once deserted, is now the Uptown Design District of boutiques, specialising in vintage and modern-retro homewares, furniture, clothes and jewellery. Take the aerial tramway or a hike up into the mountains for the views, go horse riding in the desert, visit the jaw-dropping splendour of Sunnylands Center & Gardens, and enjoy authentic Italian dishes at Johnny Costa’s, family-run by Frank’s own personal chef.

Or just hang out by the pool, as Frank did. As it says on his headstone, “The best is yet to come”, and if you haven’t been to Palm Springs yet, then that is certainly true.

IMPRESSIVEThe Indian Canyons

STUNNINGFrank Sinatra’s house

VIBRANTThe exterior of

the Saguaro

48 n NEW YEAR


IN THE MOODPickering’s Polly Taylor hits her strideDame Kelly kick-starts

the New Year partyAROUND 1,500 revellers celebrated alongside Dame Kelly Holmes to see in the New Year for Hug-Many in Tunbridge Wells.

Marking its second year at The Pantiles, the fundraiser for the Pickering Cancer Drop-in Centre collected money on the night, with organisers also taking further donations online.

The evening featured music from the Blues Brothers Little Brother, a live bagpiper and a fireworks finale.

Event founder Ian Andrew, of Michael James Insurance, said it had been a great success which built on initial festivities staged last year.

This year, the event also fundraised for the ellenor children’s care charity.

Mr Andrew said: “We had a really successful night and we were lucky with the weather as it was clear and dry when we were setting up. I think we’d have had even more people there if it hadn’t rained when it did.

“The idea for the event came up when I was just walking round The Pantiles and thought what a great place it would be for everyone in Tunbridge Wells to come together and raise money for charity and have a good time.”

Fellow organiser Julian Leefe-Griffiths said: “There was a great atmosphere and we are very pleased the second event was such a success. Dame Kelly made a speech and said how pleased she was to be supporting the night and our charities. There was such a positive vibe.”

SUPPORTERSMayor David Elliott with DameKelly (on his left) plus friends

PICT

UR

ES: D

avid

Bar

thol

omew


NEW YEAR n 49

IN THE MOODPickering’s Polly Taylor hits her stride


50 ■ LIFE AND STYLE

NEW YEAR, NEW BOOKS

By Hannah Stephenson

It looks like 2016 is going to be another bumper year for books, from both debut and bestselling authors, bloggers

and established writers creating their own versions of vintage classics. The experts help us sort the wheat from the chaff...

TOP TRENDS

Cathy Rentzenbrink, author and contributing editor of trade publication The Bookseller, says: “In terms of genre, adult colouring books have been

massive this year and that trend looks set to continue.”

YouTubers and Instagram stars are also making their mark in the world of publishing, she says. “So many celebrity tie-in books are now celebrities in the new sense, on YouTube. Zoella (Zoe Sugg) was Girl Online, which

knocked David Walliams off the top spot. Her brother Joe Sugg also wrote a book, Username: Evie. “Increasingly, cookery and lifestyle books are written by bloggers or YouTubers, so that will continue next year. The

young talent coming through may have YouTube or Instagram careers.”

THE BIG THRILLER

Rentzenbrink, whose heart-rending memoir The Last Act Of Love was a huge hit this year, predicts that thrillers will remain as popular as ever.

“There’s a trend where we always want to know what the big thriller is going to be for next year, which started with Before I Go To Sleep, then

Gone Girl and The Girl On The Train.

“Next year’s big thriller is going to be The Widow, a debut novel by Fiona Barton (Transworld, Jan), about a woman called Jean whose husband has just died. As the story unfolds, it emerges that her husband might have been a murderer. It’s a cracker.”

She continues: “Our lust for thrillers is never-ending, the page-turners which have a simple premise, like The Girl On The Train.

The big Scandinavian authors are still doing well, but I don’t think

there’s the appetite for them that there once was.”

Next year will see the 100th anniversary of Agatha Christie’s creation of Hercule Poirot and, after the success of her fi rst Poirot novel The Monogram Murders, Sophie Hannah will be writing another book in the series, Closed Casket (HarperCollins), due out in September.

MARKING TIME

Anniversaries always spawn a surge of books and 2016 is no exception. Hooks include the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the

Somme, the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death and the 200th anniversary of Charlotte Bronte’s birth.

Caroline Sanderson, associate editor of The Bookseller, predicts: “There’s likely to be a fl urry of books pegged to these anniversaries,

but among the ones to watch will be The Globe Guide To Shakespeare by Andrew Dickson (Profi le, Feb) and The Brontes: A Life In Letters

by Juliet Barker (Little, Brown, April), a selection of letters and autobiographical fragments from the three novelist sisters, Charlotte,

Emily and Anne, their brother, Branwell, and their father, the Reverend Patrick Bronte.”

Her pick for the centenary of the Battle of the Somme is First Day Of The Somme by Andrew MacDonald (HarperCollins, April), which

she says is the fi rst book to really blame the carnage on British intelligence and leadership.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

New titles likely to create a stir will be coming from Jessie Burton, whose debut novel The Miniaturist was a runaway success and whose forthcoming book The Muse (Picador), the story of a young Caribbean immigrant, a Bohemian artist and the mysterious painting that connects them across the decades, will be out in July.

Other big names with new novels out in 2016 include Maggie O’Farrell, Chris Cleave, Joanne Harris and the late Terry Pratchett, who with Stephen Baxter completed The Long Cosmos, the last in the Long Earth series. Meanwhile, popular social commentator Caitlin Moran draws up her own ‘Moranifesto’ in her eponymous new book.

Also out in January is acclaimed author Helen Dunmore’s latest novel, Exposure (Cornerstone), set in London in the Cold War Sixties and focusing on a civil servant wrongly imprisoned for spying.

Strongly anticipated debuts include Five Rivers Met On A Wooded Plain by 25-year-old playwright Barney Norris (Transworld, April), about fi ve people involved in some way in a serious car crash, and how their lives are affected.

And Lisa Owens joins the female fi ction genre with her fi rst novel Not Working (Picador, April), about a character called Claire Flannery, who quits her job to fi nd out what her true vocation may be – only to realise she has no idea about how to go about it.

For those who crave literary fi ction, Julian Barnes has written his fi rst novel since The Sense Of An Ending won the Man Booker Prize. It’s called The Noise Of Time (Jonathan Cape, May), an imagining of Shostakovich’s life, art, power and politics.

Anna Hope’s debut novel about the First World War, Wake, received great reviews. Her second book, The Ballroom, is a love story about a couple of inmates in an asylum in Yorkshire in 1911 and should do well, says Rentzenbrink.“It’s an astonishing insight into how we treated people in distress or with mental health issues, just a century ago.”

MODERN CLASSICS

The repackaging and retelling of classic tales are also still on the rise, Rentzenbrink observes.

"Howard Jacobson has written Shylock Is My Name: The Merchant Of Venice Retold (Hogarth, Feb). It's part of a scheme where established authors pick a play and write a novel inspired by that play.

"The Borough Press is also conducting an Austen project, where authors are doing a similar thing, but with Jane Austen in mind. Joanna Trollope wrote a contemporary version of Sense And Sensibility, Alexander McCall Smith wrote his own version of Emma, now Curtis Sittenfeld is writing Eligible, which is Pride And Prejudice set in modern-day Cincinnati."

Rentzenbrink thinks that reworkings of classics by contemporary authors will only increase readership generally.

"People will read Howard Jacobson because they like his books, but others will read it because they are interested in Shakespeare. It's all potentially expanding the audience."

NEW IN NON-FICTION

Current affairs will be big in the non-fiction sector

in 2016, with books on Syria and the refugee crisis coming to the

fore, says Sanderson.

"There are, inevitably, quite a few books on the refugee crisis, including

The New Odyssey by Patrick Kingsley (Guardian Faber, Jun) and Cast Away by

Charlotte McDonald-Gibson (Portobello, Jun)," she notes. "Another one, City Of

Thorns by Ben Rawlence (Portobello, Jun), centres on the world's biggest refugee

camp in northern Kenya."

Sobering memoirs include Lyn Rigby: A Mother's Story, which chronicles the devastating story of the soldier who was butchered on a London street

by two attackers; and Living In The Aftermath by Sue Klebold, mother of one of

the Columbine killers.

But there are also more uplifting real-life tales from William Shatner, who gives a personal tribute to Leonard Nimoy, his co-star in Star Trek and friend for 50 years, in Leonard: A Life (Sidgwick, Feb), and from Alexei Sayle, whose second volume of memoirs, Thatcher Stole My Trousers (Bloomsbury, Mar), gives an entertaining history of British stand-up.

On the celebrity front, there will be memoirs from Chris Packham; Billy Connolly’s account of his travels in the US with Billy Connolly Tracks Across America, and Joan Bakewell’s musings in Stop The Clocks – Thoughts On What I Leave Behind. Meanwhile, Kate Hudson, Cameron Diaz and Instagram sensation Alice Liveing will be showing us how to lead healthier lives with a variety of wellbeing books out early on in the year.

And if it all gets too much, you can always resort to adult colouring – there are so many coming out you’ll be spoilt for choice, but bestselling Millie Marotta brings out the third book, Wild Savannah (Batsford, Feb) in her hugely successful series.

PUZZLES 51


DOUBLE CROSSWORD: Cryptic: Across: 1 Naturalist; 7 Tinge; 8 Shallow; 10 Butchers; 11 Bear; 13 Eights; 15 Porter; 17 Ours; 18 Spaniels; 21 Seaside; 22 Issue; 23 Editresses. Down: 1 Nonet; 2 Tee shots; 3 Resort; 4 Loan; 5 Salient; 6 Stable-boys; 9 Wardresses; 12 Counties; 14 Garland; 16 Apiece; 19 Eases; 20 Tilt.Quick: Across: 1 Brightness; 7 About; 8 Mammoth; 10 Unerring; 11 Char; 13 Normal; 15 Horrid; 17 Able; 18 Constant; 21 Examine; 22 Ruler; 23 Resentment. Down: 1 Broke; 2 Interval; 3 Humane; 4 Name; 5 Smother; 6 Calumniate; 9 Hereditary; 12 Construe; 14 Release; 16 Moment; 19 Allot; 20 Live.WORD SPIRAL: 1 Hero; 2 Opal; 3 Lair; 4 Race; 5 Edam; 6 Mars; 7 Sect; 8 Tact; 9 Then; 10 Nude; 11 East; 12 Trot; 13 Taut;

14 Tiff; 15 Flab; 16 Bomb. Keyword: TUMBLERCODEWORD: 1=I, 2=X, 3=N, 4=M, 5=R, 6=F, 7=Y, 8=S, 9=V, 10=Q, 11=E, 12=H, 13=J, 14=P, 15=O, 16=W, 17=K, 18=U, 19=T, 20=D, 21=A, 22=G, 23=L, 24=Z, 25=B, 26=CENTERTAINMENT QUIZ: 1 The Dengineers; 2 Carrie Fisher; 3 A Gift of Love; 4 Will Ferrell; 5 Rainbow; 6 Sweet Lovin’; 7 Alfred Hitchcock; 8 Sister Rita to the Rescue; 9 Jethro Tull; 10 In the Heart of the Sea; 11 James Martin; 12 Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West); 13 Jerry Lewis; 14 Prey; 15 Level SUDOKU:

CODEWORDCodeword is the crossword puzzle with no clues. The number in each square corresponds to a letter. Work out the words in the grid using the letters provided. Fill in these known letters first, then use skill and judgement to work out the others.

SUDOKU

QUICK CLUES:

CRYPTIC CLUES:Across 1. It’s transformed by

unaffected expert on plant life (10)

7. Get in the shade somehow (5)

8. Justice in Shakespeare is far from profound (7)

10. Joint suppliers of a Schubert arrangement (8)

11. Put up with being stripped,

we hear (4) 13. E.g. this will upset the river

crews (6) 15. Strong ale - he can carry a

load! (6) 17. Some of the racecourses

not belonging to them (4) 18. Painless adjustment for

dogs (8)21 and 3Dn. On the edge of

the main holiday centre! (7,6)

22. Is to go to law for the children (5)

23. The Dee Sisters becoming important personalities on paper! (10)

Down 1. Lack of clear profit for

sizeable musical group (5) 2. He’s set to vary the drives

of course (3,5) 3. See 21 Across 4. Behold an advance (4) 5. Prominent visitor from

abroad seen in the street (7)

6. Reliable youngsters employed at the equestrian centre (6-4)

9. Battle clothing for women with key jobs? (10)

12. Company no longer restricts administrative regions (8)

14. A bouquet for Judy (7) 16. A bit each (6) 19. Calms rough sea round

the south-east (5) 20. An inclination to take part

in tournaments (4)

1. Which CBBC makeover show sees Mark Wright and Lauren Layfield transforming spaces in children’s homes?

2. Which star of the Star Wars films recently told a bedtime story with a difference on Dave’s Crackanory?

3. What is the title of the latest album from Bette Midler?

4. Which actor plays Brad, who is trying to be a good stepfather to his wife’s two children but thwarted by the return of their natural father in new film comedy Daddy’s Home?

5. David Cook, who was replaced after a year by the better-known Geoffrey Hayes, was the first presenter of which popular children’s TV show?

6. What is the title of Sigala’s latest single, featuring Bryn Christopher?

7. Who directed the 1964 film thriller Marnie, which starred Tippi Hedren in the titular role?

8. Which new BBC daytime show focuses on nun Rita Lee and her team at a

Manchester drop-in centre?

9. Sweet Dream and Living in the Past were UK Top Ten hits of the late-1960s for which British rock band?

10. Which new film starring Chris Hemsworth and Cillian Murphy is based on a work of non-fiction believed to have inspired the story of Moby Dick?

11. Which celebrity chef hosted a recent BBC1 daytime series on Home Comforts at Christmas?

12. Late British comedian Benny Hill had his only Number One hit with which novelty song, in November 1971?

13. Which US actor and comedian played Professor Julius Kelp in the 1963 film comedy The Nutty Professor?

14. Philip Glenister and MyAnna Buring are among the stars of the new series of which drama thriller on ITV1?

15. Something About You and Lessons in Love were hits of the 1980s for which pop rock and jazz-funk band?

9.

10.

11.

12.

ENTERTAINMENT QUIZ

DOUBLE CROSSWORDStarting from 1, fill in the grid clockwise with four-letter words. The last letter of each word becomes the first letter of the next to reveal the key word in the shaded boxes.

1. Brave man 2. Gemstone 3. Den 4. Speed contest 5. Dutch cheese 6. Planet 7. Cult 8. Discretion

9. At that time 10. Naked 11. Direction 12. Horse’s gait 13. Tense 14. Petty quarrel 15. Unsightly fat 16. Explosive device

8 11 4

1

7

9

14

13

2

16

6

10

15

12

3

5

Keyword clue: A drinking glass

WORD SPIRAL

Across 1. Radiance (10) 7. Concerning (5) 8. Huge (7) 10. Certain (8) 11. Burn (4) 13. Natural (6) 15. Nasty (6) 17. Competent (4) 18. Regular (8) 21. Scrutinise (7) 22. Monarch (5) 23. Indignation (10)

Down 1. Smashed (5) 2. Gap (8) 3. Sympathetic (6) 4. Call (4) 5. Asphyxiate (7) 6. Slander (10) 9. Ancestral (10) 12. Interpret (8) 14. Free (7) 16. Instant (6) 19. Apportion (5) 20. Exist (4)

SOLUTIONS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26I T

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

Scribble pad

Kent BarkerCountry matters

After taking a leap from London, the plan was to start a new life in the countryside and a career as a famous author. Instead I acquired a dog and part time work managing a community orchard. You can read these experiences on my blog: www.kentcountrymatters.blogspot.co.uk

52 � THE GREAT OUTDOORS

“Naw,” he said. “What you need is a cat. And, as luck would have it, a mate of mine has a load of kittens he needs to get rid of. I’ll get you one.”


Kent BarkerCountry matters

After taking a leap from London, the plan was to start a new life in the countryside and a career as a famous author. Instead I acquired a dog and part time work managing a community orchard. You can read these experiences on my blog: www.kentcountrymatters.blogspot.co.uk

Kent BarkerKent BarkerKent BarkerCountry mattersCountry mattersCountry matters

Of Mice and Christmas Cake

IT all started because of the mice. Well, actually, it all started because of the Christmas cake.

Let me explain. My son is home from uni. It being a couple of months since he’s been in the house, he’s forgotten where anything goes. [Actually I’m none too sure he knew where anything went before he left - he never seemed able to locate the dish-washer, judging by the pile of dirty plates left on the side.] But now he’s certainly unable to locate the cake tin after being asked to tidy away before going to bed.

Next morning I find the unprotected cake in the larder. When he finally emerges for breakfast just as the rest of us are preparing lunch I mention that this was not a particularly good home for

I decided on the opposite tack. Starve them out. ALL food is now kept in the fridge or in mouse-proof containers. Generally this is quite effective and the “Mus musculus” population seems to have been reduced to acceptable levels. Which is why I offered a gentle admonition to my boy for unwittingly tempting them back with the Christmas cake.

“Naw,” he said. “What you need is a cat. And, as luck would have it, a mate of mine has a load of kittens he needs to get rid of. I’ll get you one.”

I was, truth be told, ever so slightly underwhelmed with the generosity of this offer, thinking of the vets bills and pet food costs that would fall upon me during the feline’s life. “Cumon,” he continued, “You know you’d love a sweet little kitten. I’ll give my mate a call.”

When I’d declined firmly enough for him to understand - “Under no circumstances whatsoever are you to call your ‘mate’ or get a kitten off him or bring it here, because if you do I’ll smash up your Christmas presents, curtail your allowance and disinherit you…” he asked, not unreasonably what I had against cats.

Absolutely nothing, I told him. I’ve had several in my time, including a pair named Trotsky and Lenin [which made calling for them to come in at night in the somewhat conservative suburb we inhabited at the time something of an ordeal]. But, I said, cats kill birds, and I’ve only just put up the bird table for the winter and I’m enjoying watching the robins eating from it, and I’m hoping to attract the green woodpecker that I’ve seen at the end of the garden. “What about the dog?” he asked. The only birds the dog chases are pheasants in the woods, I told him, and that’s probably a good thing because generally they are so fat and lazy they can hardly get off the ground. So actually Myrtle and I are doing them a favour in helping them to fly, which might, just might, enable them to evade the guns. But that’s another story.

have been a bit surprised to find a sniffling snout and a set of whiskers emerging from the adjacent seat in the middle of the night.

Over the years I’ve tried most methods of removal, from traps to poison, and I generally hate myself for it. I’ve even resorted to those humane traps which tempt the mouse in before the door closes automatically behind it. But usually they seem perfectly capable of taking the cheese and disappearing without getting caught. So you feel all you’re doing is providing free board along with the lodging. Ultimately

Of Mice and Christmas Cake

IT all started because of the mice. Well, actually, it all started because of the Christmas cake.

unwrapped food. Why not, he asks? Because of the mice.

Now, if you are lucky [or some might say unlucky] enough to live deep in the country in a medieval house which is really only one evolutionary step removed from a barn, mice are a constant problem. In fact wildlife generally seem to proliferate just as readily inside the house as outside. Bats, for instance, have all but taken over the attic. Spiders scuttle hither and thither and provide constant work for an army of cleaners – or would if I had an army of cleaners to call upon. Moths seem greatly to prefer to breed indoors rather than out. And countless generations of mice have made my home theirs without so much as a by-your-leave or the most modest contribution towards the council tax bill.

Generally I don’t much mind mice. Though I would prefer not to see them running out from behind the sofa half way through a late night film. The trouble is the damage they cause. In a rather rare bout of cleaning I recently removed the cushions on the sofa to vacuum up the dog fleas [another species that’s taken up residence]. Underneath I found that one particularly determined rodent had started to eat upwards through the foam rubber. Even the dog might

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cartridges.

£30.ono

CALL: 01732 669840

(tonbridge area)




£5

TEL: 07892 409 005






TEL: 07865 065 374

THE MARKET


THE MARKETPlace an advertisement

By phone: 01892 576 049By email: [email protected]

BUY IT, LOVE IT, SELL IT

DR DRE BEATS HEAD





CONTACT 07814487873

WITH ANY OFFERS

BIKES

BIKE WANTED Gentleman’s road bicycle wanted, upright or straight, handlebars, 3 gears ideal. Age

immaterial as long as condition reasonable.

PLEASE TEL: 01892 521 660




W100cm £40 ono

TEL: 07899 848




TEL: 07899 848 689


Unused. Boxed. £15 TEL: 07892 409 005


room £30.00 ono

TEL: 01732 366 174


vase H44cm £35 ono

TEL: 07899 848 689




TEL: 07899 848 689

DIY & TOOL


TEL: 018892 853 181

AQUARIUM

CLASSIFIED n 71

BUILDING

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS

WANTED surplus wines, champagne

and spirits

Have a clear out!CALL: 07780556127



£395 PCMTel: 01892 862482





• Fully Insured.

ContactPeter Cannon

01959 574282 or07801 283 672



Mark Jones 07878 178188

[email protected]


HEALTH

Blue W reg 2494cc petrol with just 132,000 miles on the clock. MOT Full service history. Two owners. Leather interior. £950

PLEASE CALL 07833145674

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS

CALL OUR CLASSIFIED MARKET SALES TEAMTo book your advert please call 01892 576 049 or Email: [email protected]

BUILDING

Fully functional with fl ue. Unwanted

due to combi upgrade.

Ideal for parts or home

renovations.

Collect Langton Green.

£80 ono

TEL: 07834180358

PHYSICS & SCIENCE

Individual tuition. Common

Entrance, GCSE, AS & A2.

Very experienced teacher.

EXCELLENT RESULTS

01892 539 22007540 075 649

Award Winning

Equity Release Specialists

www.55plusequityrelease.com

01892 [email protected]

BUSINESS

BRITISH GAS BOILER

CLASSIFIED � 53







Mark Jones 07878 178188

[email protected]

CLOTHING

GARDENING

Piano TuitionTimothy Lowe ARCM, FISMBeginners to Advanced

www.timothylowepianolessons.co.uk

01892 535 040

ASSORTED BOOT SALE

ITEMSCALL:

01892 539068

FOR PRICES

CURTAINS FOR SALE

Lined, patterned, brand new curtains.

£25 per pair

CALL: 01892 539068

Guitar LessonsRock, Blues, Folk,

ClassicalCRB CheckedContact Pete

[email protected]

01892 522006

Oxford Graduate with twenty years sixth form college experience off ers

A-level English tuition in

Tunbridge Wells.Call 07881415760

LJD FENCING & GARDEN MAINTENANCE

For all your fencing & gardeningneeds contact Lee today for advice

& a free quotation

Tel 01892 671131Mob 07841 565483

Email [email protected]

WANTED SURPLUS WINES,

CHAMPAGNE, AND SPIRITS, have a

clear out

CALL 07780556127:

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS

CALL OUR CLASSIFIED MARKET SALES TEAM

Times of Tunbridge Wells

Buy and sell antiques;gold, bronze or magic

New lampsfor old

BUY IT, LOVE IT, SELL IT

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS

Times of Tunbridge Wells

Buy and sell cars; petrol, diesel or key powered

One careful owner...Buy and sell cars; petrol, diesel or key powered

By phone: By phone: By phone: By phone: By phone: By phone: By phone: By phone: By phone: 01892 576 04901892 576 04901892 576 04901892 576 04901892 576 04901892 576 04901892 576 04901892 576 04901892 576 04901892 576 04901892 576 04901892 576 049By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected] By email: [email protected]

THE MARKETTHE MARKETTHE MARKETTHE MARKETTHE MARKET

By phone: 01892 779650By email: [email protected]

54 n RECRUITMENT


This week’s hot jobs...

O F TUNBR IDGE WELLS

Company: Bennett Memorial School

Job: Teacher Information Evening

Location: Tunbridge Wells

Company: TerraBlu Home Care

Job: Home Care Nurse

Location:Tunbridge Wells

Company: One Media & Creative

Job: Freelance Graphic Designer


Company: One Media & Creative

Job: Commercial Account Manager


fill your vacancy nowin print or online.

Page: 55 Page: 54 Page: 54 Page: 54

WORK WITH USCommercial Account Manager – Publishing (Tunbridge Wells)

One Media UK Ltd, part of the award-winning Markerstudy Group, is currently looking to attract experienced and proven commercial talent to work with new and existing clients across its publishing portfolio.

As part of a small, but very successful and ambitious team, you will be responsible for developing and implementing a successful sales strategy, achieving the agreed revenue targets both weekly and monthly in allocated categories. You will ensure targets are exceeded and will maintain successful relationships with key accounts through clients directly and via agencies.

Selling across both newspaper and magazine publications, you will make yourself and your brand famous within the local lifestyle brand world, establishing and maintaining strong commercial relationships and maximising revenues.

This role requires a highly structured and proactive approach to ensure revenues are generated every day within the agreed guidelines from the relevant markets. It is 100% results focused.

For the right individuals, we offer a highly attractive salary and benefits package, along with strong career progression opportunities.

For more details and to apply for this exciting role, please contact Lara Milan: [email protected]

One Media UK Ltd is part of the Markerstudy Group of companies.

RECRUITMENT n 55


OVERWORKED?

OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS

recruitment agency directoryThree R’s Teacher Recruitment

Three R’s Teacher Recruitment are currently recruiting SUPPLY, LONG TERM & PERMANENT TEACHERS

Call Amy or Nicki anytime on:

0845 130 3338email: [email protected] or [email protected]

www.3rs-ltd.co.uk

Three R’s Teacher Recruitment are currently recruitingSUPPLY, LONG TERM & PERMANENT TEACHERS

Teachers

To register for immediate work please contact us today

Three R‛sTeacher Recruitment



www.3rs-ltd.co.uk


Teachers





www.3rs-ltd.co.uk


Teachers





www.3rs-ltd.co.uk


Teachers





www.3rs-ltd.co.uk


Teachers





www.3rs-ltd.co.uk


Teachers



To register for immediate work please contact us today Call Amy or Nicki anytime on:

Your future is not simply black or white - Explore a colorful range of opportunities with Gerrard White RecruitmentWe consistently help our clients source the best and most highly skilled qualified and non qualified finance professionals at all levels... Let us do the same for you.

16 Lonsdale GardensTunbridge Wells,

Kent TN1 [email protected]

01892 55 33 55

Accountancy and Finance

Insuranceand Legal

Technology Executive

























By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen

Jeweller G.Colllna&Sonaltd Royal Tunbridge Wells

<i. Qtollins & ~ons --------··--------

76/78, High Street, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1YB Telephone: (01892) 534018 Fax: (01892) 510536

email: [email protected] · www.gcollinsandsons.com

Chronograph Re£ 5170G

times of tunbridge wells 6th january 2016

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