Investment could mark turnaround in the fortunes of shopping centre
British Land bought Royal Victoria Place in 2018 for £96million, but it has struggled since. The commercial landlord, one of the UK’s largest, immediately shelved previous owners Hermes’ £70million plan to renovate the shopping centre and build an entertainment complex of its own that would have featured a bowling alley and other attractions. Instead, British […]
A handful of tickets remain for the networking event of the year
Next Thursday (March 24), around 30 shortlisted businesses from Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding area find out if they have become a 2022 award winner. The awards themselves will be presented by none other than star of breakfast and day-time TV, Eamonn Holmes. Over the years the black tie dinner has become one of the […]
Councils restart garden waste services after bailing out struggling contractor
The news comes after Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) has agreed to pay contractor Urbaser up to £100,000 to get the waste collections back on track. The garden waste service, which costs subscribers £52 a year, has been suspended since July due to a shortage of HGV drivers. Urbaser is contracted to both Tunbridge Wells […]
Southborough property investment firm collapses owing more than £17million
Joint Venture Investment in Property (JVIP) Group, which is based in Southborough, is thought to have run up debts of up to £60million, despite only holding assets worth around £43million. The company bought and sold properties in the area as investment opportunities for their clients. But investors now face losing six-figure sums following the collapse […]
Leisure complex plan for BHS site
The new attraction will feature a range of family activities including go karts, a bowling alley, cinema and a virtual reality arcade, all located over three floors in Royal Victoria Place. It comes more than six years after BHS collapsed in 2016 leaving the site in the shopping centre abandoned. The company behind the project […]
Wealden and County Hall look to turn off the taps to Russian gas
The local authority, which looks after towns such as Crowborough, Lewes and Uckfield in East Sussex, uses Russian gas supplier Gazprom for some if its social housing stock. According to data seen by the Times, WDC currently has three contracts with the Russian gas giant, totalling £432,000 that it uses to supply energy to 12 […]
Russian businessman is left ‘helpless and devastated’ for Ukrainian families
Alexander Pushkin, owner of Pushkin Antiques in Tunbridge Wells High Street, says he came to the UK at the age of eight from St Petersburg, Russia, and has been left feeling ‘helpless and devastated’ for friends and family caught up in the war caused by Putin’s invasion. He told the Times: “I always felt free […]
Cost of getting to work reaches record levels following rail fares hike
The cost of a season ticket from the town’s main railway station increased by more than £200 last week as the government’s annual rail fare rise was introduced – the largest yearly hike in the cost of commuting for nearly a decade. While fares are set by train companies, rises are capped using the government’s […]
Inquiry Chairman has released questions he wants answered over hospital crimes
David Fuller is currently serving a whole life sentence for murders of Wendy Knell, 25, and Caroline Pierce, 20, in Tunbridge Wells in 1987. He was also convicted of a further 51 sexual offences after his activities at Tunbridge Wells Hospital and its forerunner the Kent and Sussex Hospital were discovered on his arrest. Former […]
David Baddiel and Jo Brand among stars set to headline Tunbridge Wells’ new literary festival
Taking place over four days from April 29 to May 2, the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival is being launched by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and stars David Baddiel and Jo Brand – both well known as presenters, comedians and writers – will be headlining the programme for this exciting new festival. David Baddiel is the […]
