Christmas arrives as the town’s lights are turned on in the annual ‘Big Reveal’
THOUSANDS of people descended on Tunbridge Wells town centre at the weekend for not one, but two Christmas light switch-ons. Light schemes, designed and funded by the Royal Tunbridge Wells Together Business Improvement District (BID) since 2020, were turned on all over the town on Saturday (November 19). The event started with carols in Chapel […]
Rare white deer spotted roaming the Tunbridge Wells countryside
A LONE white deer has become a natural wonder for one local resident in his walks around the southwest edge of Tunbridge Wells. Having moved to the town in February, Mark Foxwell, a director at PR company Sharp Minds Communications, has spent hours walking through the wild places of Broadwater Warren. However, another companion has […]
Voting open for Kent Youth County Council
VOTING is underway for the Kent Youth County Council (KYCC), in which not only do the candidates have to be 11-18 years old, but the voters do, too. Anyone in this age group living, working or going to school in Kent is eligible to vote for their pick of local candidates and also the three […]
European school groups eager to return to Tunbridge Wells
A COMPANY that used to bring hundreds of European schoolchildren and their teachers into the area every week is on the path to recovery following the Covid crisis and is calling for local residents to think about taking in a student. The founder of International Student Experiences (ISE), Stephanie Heymer told the Times that her […]
Co-ordinated safety scheme for local premises showing World Cup matches
CO-OPERATION among members of the local Pubwatch scheme means anyone banned from one of the 21 local pubs and clubs showing the World Cup will be excluded from all of the members’ venues (approximately 50). Covering the majority of pubs and clubs in Tunbridge Wells town centre, as well as premises at North Farm and […]
Town prepares to honour fallen with two Remembrance events
TWO official Remembrance events are planned for this week, as Armistice Day (November 11) falls on Friday and Remembrance Sunday on November 13. At the official Armistice Day town ceremony, Tunbridge Wells Mayor Cllr Godfrey Bland will join representatives of the Royal British Legion (RBL) at the War Memorial at 10:45am for a short ceremony […]
Survey finds 90 per cent of women have been harassed
MORE than 90 per cent of female residents in Tunbridge Wells have experienced some form harassment in the town, a survey has found. The Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) survey was run this spring by the local branch of women’s movement Soroptimist International to coincide with International Women’s Day in March. The report ‘Spotlight […]
High Brooms McColl’s to close as Morrisons culls convenience stores
THE McColl’s convenience store in High Brooms Road is one of 132 ‘loss-making’ convenience stores to be closed by Morrisons. The supermarket giant sealed a deal to buy McColl’s for £190million in a rescue deal in May, and last week (November 1) it unveiled plans to overhaul the convenience retailer. Morrisons said it expected some […]
County Hall to make swingeing cuts to fill £70million black hole
THERE will not be ‘a single department within Kent County Council’ (KCC) that will be immune to cuts, county councillors have been told. In June, the authority had projected a budgetary black hole of £50million for the current financial year, but the overspend is likely to reach £70million, Leader Cllr Roger Gough (Conservative) told members […]
Council letter may have been the ‘trigger’ for cattery owner’s death
THE feared closure of his business following a Council inspection may have been the ‘trigger’ that caused a cattery owner to end his own life, an inquest heard last week. Assistant Coroner for North West Kent, Alan Blunsdon, heard how Wayne Littlechild, 39, was found dead at Catnap Cattery in Liptraps Lane in Tunbridge Wells, […]
