Councillors blasted for boycotting meeting to discuss violence against women
A group of councillors have been criticised for refusing to attend a meeting that was to discuss plans to reduce crime in Tunbridge Wells including violence against women and girls following a ‘personal spat’ with another councillor. Last week (Wednesday, March 30), the Council’s Communities and Economic Development Cabinet Advisory Board (CAB) met to discuss […]
Amelia launches festival programme aimed specifically at younger readers
The Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival being held at the end of April features some big-name authors, including TV funnyman David Baddiel and former Tunbridge Wells Grammar schoolgirl Jo Brand, but the team at the Amelia Scott have also just announced an attention-grabbing programme for younger readers. Aimed at early years to young adults, the festival […]
Former teacher faces trial accused of historic abuse at Tonbridge School
Russell Tillson, who is a Conservative councillor for New Romney Town Council, has been charged with five counts of indecent assault on boys at the £45,000-a-year Tonbridge School between 1984 and 2001. At Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court last week, prosecutors said the 71-year-old was a teacher at the school, where he was regarded as the ‘gatekeeper […]
Parties fire the starting gun for crunch local elections
The six-week pre-election period, also known as the ‘purdah’, prevents local government from making certain announcements about initiatives that could be seen to be advantageous to any candidates or parties in the forthcoming election. It also sees the local parties begin canvassing in earnest, for what is expected to be among the closest contests held […]
Cash-strapped sports operator to spend £800,000 on upgrades
Fusion Lifestyle, which runs the Tunbridge Wells Sports Centre in St John’s Road, The Weald Sports Centre in Cranbrook and Putlands Sport & Leisure Centre in Paddock Wood, is to spend £800,000 on all three facilities. The news comes after the sports operator had to be bailed out by the Council in 2020 in order […]
BHS leisure complex is the talk of the town
After the Times broke the news that the unit vacated by the former retailer in 2016 will become an entertainment centre featuring go-karts, bowling, a cinema and a state-of-the-art arcade, hundreds of people took to social media to welcome the announcement. The project by Elite Leisure Collection, which also runs One Media, publisher of the […]
RVP owner eyes shopping centre sale to rival landlord
According to a report in the national Times on March 19, British Land and Landsec have held talks that would involve at least one of British Land’s shopping centres changing hands, as the two property giants search for ways to lift their drifting share prices. Under the proposed deal, it is understood Landsec would acquire […]
Tunbridge Wells residents open their doors to Ukrainian refugees
Two weeks ago, before the UK government outlined its sponsorship programme to allow Britons to take in refugee families from the stricken region, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) launched a webpage where people in the borough could register their interest. “Within days of the website going live, 148 residents had put their names down” […]
WATCH: Taxi driver suffers racist abuse at Tunbridge Wells train station
Medhat Khechine says he was working last Tuesday, March 15, when a Range Rover pulled into the bays restricted for taxi use. “I told him he wasn’t supposed to park there and that he would get a ticket as it was only for taxis but he then started to racially abuse me,” he told the […]
Entertainment complex will put the town back in pole position
Elite Leisure Collection (ELC), which is behind the project, is set to take over the BHS site after agreeing to buy the lease from M&G Real Estate, who have an 80 per cent stake in the unit at RVP. The remaining stake is owned by British Land, who run the shopping centre, and the deal […]
