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Insurers refused claim because he didnt lose both legs
Accident payout deniedas man only lost one leg
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All the news that matters Local, National and
InternationalWednesday, January 13, 2016
OF TUNBRIDGE WELLS
PLENTY OFFESTIVE CHEER
FOR LOCALRESTAURANTS
Pages 64-65
SOUTHBOROUGH FAMILY ROOTS
OF LEGENDDAVID BOWIE
Page 10
STRIKING DOCTORS
WALK OUT AT PEMBURY
Page 3
Exclusive: By Adam Hignett
A TRAUMATISED father of three has been denied a 120,000
insurance pay-ment after losing a leg in a motorcycle accident.
Insurers claimed his injuries were not critical enough and that he
needed to lose two or more limbs to qualify for a payment.
Hein Pretorius suffered two broken legs below the knee, a broken
femur and broken pelvis after he was struck by an
oncoming vehicle during his commute to work.
The complexity of his injuries follow-ing the collision on the
Bayham Road in August meant he had to be airlifted to a London
hospital, where his right leg was amputated below the knee.
But despite paying almost 25,000 to cover life and critical
insurance since he took out his first policy in 1998, Mr Pretorius
has not seen a penny of the 120,000 he thought he would be entitled
to from his two insurers.
Since the accident, Mr Pretorius said he has been fighting both
Legal & Gen-eral and insurance firm Bright Grey to secure a
payout from his life assurance policies as the liability does not
fall under a motor insurer.
And now Mr Pretorius is concerned his family will lose their
house.
He said: We are worried about it. I was previously on a
relatively decent salary, but despite the help of some benefits
related to my disability, my monthly income has been dramatically
reduced.
Basically, I need to get myself physi-cally fit as soon as
possible to allow me to get back to work and earn. If I dont, we
may lose our house.
The 44-year-old, who lives with his family in Madeira Park,
Tunbridge Wells, added: The insurance compa-nies argue it is a
black and white case of me signing a contract which only covers the
loss of two limbs.
STRANGEFACEWOWS
THEATREAUDIENCES
Pages 76-77
Turn to page 3
INJUREDFather of threeHein Pretorius
CINEMA SITE DEAL INDRAMATIC COLLAPSE
Exclusive: By Adam Hignett
A DEAL which would have seen a new hotel and retail units built
upon the old cinema site in Tunbridge Wells fell through late
yesterday. It is the latest setback in the 15-year saga of what has
been described as the towns biggest eyesore.
As the Times reported in October, the current owner, Carlyle
Group, had entered into the fi nal stages of an agreement to sell
the site to developer Bellhouse Joseph.
But the hotel group, which was due to be the anchor tenant on
the site, has since withdrawn from the agreement, leading to the
sales collapse.
Carlyle Group has now appointed Savills and Strutt & Parker
to remarket the site and fi nd a buyer as soon as possible.
However, a spokesman for Bellhouse Joseph said the developer was
still interested in the site and blamed delays on the failure to
secure the hotel.
He said: The deal we had been hoping to conclude is no longer
possible as delays in fi nalising the process has led to one of the
larger tenants withdrawing.
However, we are still in negotiations and remain committed to
delivering a high quality mixed use development and have strong
interest from restaurant and retail organisations.
The 1.3-acre site was bought by the Carlyle Group for 9.9
million in 2011.
SOUTHBOROUGH STRANGEFACEWOWS
THEATREAUDIENCES
Pages 76-77
PLENTY OFFESTIVE CHEER
FOR LOCALRESTAURANTS
Pages 64-65
STRIKING DOCTORS
WALK OUT AT PEMBURY
Page 3
Newspaper
WALK OUT AT
STRANGEFACEWOWS
THEATREAUDIENCES
Pages 76-77
STRANGEFACESTRANGEFACE
THEATREAUDIENCES
Pages 76-77
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email: [email protected]
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Wednesday 13th January 2016
2 n NEWS
FOR the majority of us the most expensive thing we splash out on
in life is our home; be it a mansion, detached, semi, terraced or
flat. And today its becoming increasingly harder for young people
to do just that, to get on the housing ladder, as prices continue
to creep up with a dearth of good properties coming on to the
market. Many young people turn to the Bank of Mum and Dad looking
for a contribution towards a deposit or low cost loan repayable
over 25 years at zero interest.
The property market was summed up for me by an estate agent
talking about the lack of suitable properties up for rent. They
told me: If you see a decent place come online then run to the
estate agents to get to the head of the queue, fix an immediate
viewing and agree to pay the asking price. If you dont grab it
there will be a dozen people behind you trying to get the keys.
Even allowing for estate- agent-speak and a journalist adding a
bit of a flourish thats probably a pretty accurate summation of
whats
happening particularly here in Tunbridge Wells where it seems
everyone wants to live, or at least a significant number of buyers
want to stay here or move here.
All of which means we like to keep an eye on property prices to
see how our investment in bricks and mortar is doing and to confirm
our own views that we chose wisely in picking the right location.
As the popular TV programme says its all about Location, Location,
Location.
Thats why, hopefully, youll find our Richest Roads story (pages
16 and 17) of some interest. Its a survey that tells us the most
expensive addresses in the borough of Tunbridge Wells, according to
the best sources, and the top postcodes. Its full of fascinating
facts that will get you talking, especially if your road is not
listed but that of your friend is.
Looking back, I recall the first time such a list was published
in Tunbridge Wells. It was 2008 and was carried by the then new
local magazine So Tunbridge Wells, the sister publication of this
newspaper. It caused uproar. We actually
had hospital consultants being called by their partners to
complain or boast about their address, depending on where it was in
the property list.
ONE OF my favourite TV programmes happens to be Dragons Den on
BBC Two, so I was much taken with our story (page five) about local
man Caner Veli who braved the famous five and walked out with a
100,000 investment in his business. He appeared on our screens
being grilled by the Dragons, one of whom was pretty grumpy, for
maybe ten minutes. In reality he stood in front of them for an hour
with 25 production people watching from the sidelines. And he tells
us that they actually edited out some of the harshest comments from
the potential investors in his footwear and fabric protection
business. All in all it sounds a tough test for any entrepreneur.
But then if you want people to give you their money
Richard Moore, Editorial Director
WHAT MAKES OUR RICHEST ROADS LIST SO RELEVANT
Markerstudy Leisure is a trading name of One Media and Creative
UK Limited registered in England and Wales under company number
5398960 with registered office at 45 Westerham Road, Sevenoaks,
Kent TN13 2QB.
CLARIFICATIONS AND CORRECTIONSHERE at the Times of Tunbridge
Wells we strive to deliver, fair, accurate and balanced reports.
When we dont meet our own high standards we will accept the
responsibility and publish clarifications and corrections.
If you would like to make a comment on any aspect of the
newspaper, please write to the editor, 16 Lonsdale Gardens,
Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1NU, or email
[email protected]
PRINTED BY NEWBURY NEWS LTDNewspaper House, Faraday Road,
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CONTACTS
EDITORIAL DIRECTORRICHARD MOORE
[email protected] | 01892 779615
DESIGN/PRODUCTIONLEE SMITH [email protected]
HEAD OF SALESJOE STONER [email protected] | 01892
779624
GENERAL [email protected]
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IF YOU HAVE A STORY WE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU. Contact
details above
16 Lonsdale Gardens, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1NU
I dont know where Im going from here, but I promise it wont be
boring.
David Bowie
QUOTE UNQUOTE
By Adam Hignett [email protected]
KENT County Council is bracing itself for a hard year ahead
after publishing its budget on Monday amid warnings it was due to
be the most difficult yet.
With a key government grant being reduced by around a third,
combined with a rise in social care costs leaves a shortfall of 126
million, means tough decisions will have to be made at the council,
which said significant savings needed to be found in order to make
up for the shortfall.
The draft budget is for the 2016/17 finan-cial year.
Alongside cuts to expenditure, KCC will also be looking to raise
11m in revenues through a 1.99 per cent increase in council taxes,
the maximum amount without trig-gering a referendum.
A further two per cent rise in council tax is also proposed
through the use of its social care precept, a new levy which was
announced in the governments autumn statement.
In a statement released alongside the budget, a KCC spokesman
said the introduction of the new levy was necessary to tackle the
increasing burden of social care.
He said: Social care budgets are under particular pressure due
to rising demand for services for both vulnerable adults and older
people.
There are also rising costs from increases
in prices from care providers not least in response to the new
National Living Wage which will apply from April.
Combined, these increases will see the amount of council tax
taken by the county council on an average Band C property rise to
1,007.60, up from 968.88 currently, raising an additional 22
million in total.
This is before other authorities, such as the Police, Fire &
Rescue, districts, parish and town councils set their own share of
council tax as part of the overall bill.
Kent County Council currently accounts for around 73 per cent of
the council tax take.
Capital investment will fall by 20 million to 708 million next
year, meaning less money has been earmarked for spending on
infrastructure projects such as new school buildings and roads.
The town has secured some minor spending commitments from KCC,
such as on the South-borough Hub and the Tunbridge Wells Cultural
Hub, to the sum of 115,000 and 2 million respectively.
However, the majority of the focused spending has been earmarked
for projects elsewhere in the county, such as a 12.4 million
investment in the Expansion East Kent Regional Growth Fund.
County budget comes with a health warning and biggest rate rise
without a referendum
Thursday
4CFriday
4CSaturday
3CSunday
3CMonday
3CTuesday
4C
Wednesday January 13, 2016 Tunbridge Wells
6 CVisibility: Very good Pollution: Low Humidity: 81%
Sunrise: 07.59am Sunset: 16.16pm Wind: 10mph
I couldnt resist capturing the rainbow behind these berries in
High Brooms Marcin Bialas
Weather
Sunny intervals and further showers, often breezy
RESIDENTS have just days remaining to make their views heard on
Tunbridge Wells Borough Councils key priorities for its major
projects and spending for the next two years.
Despite facing a major 261,000 cut to its annual government
grant, the authority remains on course, it says, to deliver pledges
to improve the areas cultural and sports facilities as part of its
five-year plan agreed in 2014.
However, the loss in its national funding amounts to a 50 per
cent cut since 2010, los-ing out on 3.2 million in government
money
over five years. By 2020, the council will not receive any
central funding and is expected to be self-funding through
retaining business rates.
The boroughs outlined priorities include making the town an
attractive place for businesses through the creation of more space
for emerging start-up firms. The council also intends to work with
developers in identifying potential new housing sites to meet
demand for quality housing within the borough.
Council leader David Jukes said: Since
launching our five-year plan we have exceeded our expectations
in planning terms, including opening up Longfield Road on the
retail estate, which is complete, as well as the A21 improvement
gaining approval. On the current progress it will open up this time
next year.
We planned the Cultural Hub at the library three years ago and
were allocated Heritage Lottery funding of 4.3 million towards it,
but weve had another 930,000 from the Arts Council towards it, so
thats also happening.
Time running out to have your say on five-year plan
COUNTY HALLRate increases
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LOCAL NEWS 3
Wednesday 13th January 2016
LIFE CHANGINGHein today after the accident
They changed their policies since then to make payouts for the
loss of one limb, but they wont pay out to me as my contracts were
signed in 1998 and 2007.
It just seems like they want to wash their hands of the issue.
They blame the broker for not telling me to update my policy.
Mr Pretorius argues the main text of the contracts were
ambiguous when they claimed a payout would be made upon the loss of
limbs, with a clearer definition, stating two or more, tucked away
in the small print.
The accident occurred during Mr Pretoriuss morning commute to
work as the regional operations manager at Hush Heath Hospital-ity
in Goudhurst, a job which paid 50,000 a year.
He is now forced to rely on 88 a week in statutory sick pay,
alongside benefits, as he was only at the com-pany for half a year
before the acci-dent and has remained in hospital ever since.
This has put a strain on the fam-ily finances as his wife,
Ellen, only works on an irregular basis and her income is
insufficient to cover the family costs.
The majority of time is spent look-ing after their three
children, 11-year-old Louis and seven-year-old twins Mabel and
Theo, a job made far harder since the accident.
Mr Pretorius said: We are in arrears with our mortgage, which
has destroyed my credit rating. We have sought help from the debt
char-ity Step Change, who have secured
more manageable token payments for us.
He admitted some people may crit-icise him for not getting
income pro-tection as part of his insurance and said one of his
reasons for highlight-ing his plight was to raise awareness.
He added: I do not want pity. I am resilient and optimistic. But
I do not want other people to be in the same situation I am now
in.
A spokesman for Legal & General confirmed the insurers terms
had changed in 2009 and said they were very sorry to hear Mr
Pretorius is unhappy with our decision regard-ing the claim.
But she added the firm is bound by the terms and conditions of
the critical illness policy contract which he purchased in 1999,
claiming this prevented them from paying out for the loss of one
limb.
She said the company have assessed Mr Pretoriuss claim under
another clause of the policy which covers total and permanent
disabil-ity, however: It is too early in Mr Pretoriuss treatments
and recovery to confirm if the policy definition of Permanent and
Total Disability has been met.
His claim would be reviewed again in due course, she added.
A spokesperson for Bright Grey also highlighted the legal
obligation to stick to the terms and conditions of the policy.
He said Mr Pretorius was made aware a payout would only be made
upon suffering a total permanent disability defined as: the
perma-nent physical severance of two or more limbs from above the
wrist or ankle joint.
But he added: It is too early in Mr
Pretoriuss recovery to predict if a claim would be payable under
these sections of his insurance policy, but we will review it after
26 weeks which was the time chosen by Mr Pretorius when he took out
the policy.
We are unable to retrospectively change our terms and conditions
as it could benefit some customers and disadvantage others.
The Financial Ombudsman ruled in favour of Legal & General
in Octo-ber, claiming it had dealt with Mr Pretoriuss case fairly,
and so no action could be taken.
It found the wording loss of limbs was explained in the terms
and conditions as applying to multiple limbs, defined as above the
wrist joint or ankle.
In a letter to Mr Pretorius, the adju-dicator said: I do not
underestimate the seriousness of the injury. But as the claim is
for the loss of one limb, unfortunately the definition has not been
met.
However, Mr Pretorius has since advised the ombudsman that he
does not accept the decision of the adjudicator and will be
presenting the case again.
HOLIDAYHein before the
accident
Continued from page 1
Accident payout denied
JUNIOR doctors at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Pembury yesterday
joined a national strike over their contracts, after talks with the
government failed to reach agreement.
Their concerns have centred on proposed working conditions which
they claim will place patient safety at risk, as services become
increasingly stretched.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has criticised the strike, which is
the first of its kind for a generation, stating it was
unnecessary.
A spokesperson for the hospital said: The safety and care of
patients is our top priority and therefore we have re-arranged 32
planned procedures that were due to take place today (January
12th).
Doctors stage walkoutin Tunbridge Wells
For more on the doctors strike see page 9
Richest Roads in Tunbridge Wells
By Neill Barston
ACCORDING to local estate agents property prices in Tunbridge
Wells are set to rise by at least five per cent over the coming
year and possibly by more than 21 per cent over the next five
years.
Howard Kingsnorth of Barnes Kingsnorth said: With the current
shortage of properties, I can see 2016 unfolding with a competitive
market and the possibility of multiple buyers for each property.
This will make it a sellers market which could force prices to
increase by at least five per cent.
Robert Jacobs at Savills Tunbridge Wells said: Longer term,
Savills predicts prices in the south easts mainstream market will
increase by 21.6 per cent over the next five years to 2020.
The comments come as the Times reveals its list of the Richest
Roads in and around Tunbridge Wells. We name the top 50 addresses
where, in each case, house prices are around an average of
1million.
Hollyshaw Close tops the list with average house values of more
than 3million.
Frant is the most sought after location outside of the town,
with almost a third of the top ten roads situated in the small
village.
To find out if your road features on the list turn to page
16
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Wednesday 13th January 2016
4 LOCAL NEWS
BEWL Water is due for a major upgrade aimed at boosting local
tourism after the latest investment plans were announced by its new
owners this week.
Markerstudy Leisure acquired Bewl Water Country Park on January
8 and unveiled a raft of improvements aimed at boosting tourism to
the reservoir.
Describing it as the jewel in the crown for the local community,
Andrew Daniells, chief oper-ating officer of Markerstudy Leisure,
said the ambitious plans would give Bewl the love and attention it
deserves.
Among the initiatives announced is the imme-diate reduction in
parking charges from 8 to 2, alongside the complete refurbishment
of the visitor centre and nearby sailing clubhouse.
Both are timetabled to be reopened by April. In addition, there
are plans to make the 13-mile
long path around the reservoir more accessible, with a new water
taxi service enabling walkers and cyclists to tailor the length of
their tours of the lake.
Fish stocks are due to be replenished to satisfy what the
company believes is the growing num-ber of fishermen returning to
Bewl Water.
There will also be an upgrading of the current fleet of fishing
boats to help facilitate this trend.
Mr Daniells said: The feedback from existing users, such as the
sailors, rowers and fishing fraternity, is that they all want to
see it returned to its former glory, and are keen to work with us
to make this happen.
In conjunction with the local community and councils we are keen
to transform the quality of the facilities and activities on offer
as we deliver what will be a substantial investment in the
site.
Graham Wise, co-leader of Bewl Midweek Sail-
Boost for Bewl as new plans are unveiled
ing Group, which has 100 members and sails all year round, said:
This is great news. We are confident under Markerstudy, which has a
rep-utation for being closely involved in the local community, that
sailing at Bewl will increase in
popularity. They have seen the potential of Bewl and
have taken the decision to invest. We have had a very positive
meeting with the
new owners and management team about their
intentions and are reassured that they share our passion for
sailing and for Bewl.
The investments that are planned sound very promising and we
will certainly be supporting them.
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LOCAL NEWS 5
Wednesday 13th January 2016
Adam [email protected]
A TUNBRDGE Wells entrepreneur who survived the Dragons Den by
walking away with a 100,000 investment in his company has talked to
the Times about his experience.
Caner Veli, founder of Liquiproof, a fabric spray which repels
liquid spills, was seen giving away 50 per cent of his business to
the clothing magnate Touker Suleyman when the BBC2 show aired on
January 3.
But it was not all plain sailing for the 28-year-old
entrepreneur, who described the experience as one of the most
stressful days of his life.
After impressing the Dragons with his presenta-tion, in which he
highlighted the effectiveness of Liquiproof by pouring a bottle of
red wine down his suit, leaving no stains, the tycoons began their
ferocious scrutiny.
It was scary as hell and probably one of the most stressful days
of my life, said Mr Veli, adding: It is exactly like it looks on
TV.
ScepticalBut what the audience do not realise is there are
25 people off screen watching as well.An avid viewer of the
show, Mr Veli was none the
less sceptical when he was first approached by the BBC to appear
on the programme.
He said: The development team from Dragons Den called me up
saying they had seen my prod-uct and thought it was amazing, so
they asked me if I wanted to go in front of the Dragons.
At first I was not really sure if it was actu-ally a real offer,
but of course it turned out to be genuine.
The main criticisms levelled at Mr Velis pitch
for investment came from two of the most long-standing Dragons
on the panel, Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden.
Mr Jones slammed the valuation of Liquiproof, which Mr Veli
claimed was worth 2 million par-tially based on forward estimates
of growth but which Mr Jones said would be lucky to be worth tens
of thousands.
Peter was very grumpy for the whole thing. What the programme
did not show was the back and forth which went on, said Mr Veli,
you dont know what they are going to ask but you prepare for the
worst.
I was there for about an hour, the bits on screen were probably
not even the harshest moments.
Next up came Mrs Meaden, who took Mr Veli to task for the
quality of the contract he had secured with the R&D lab which
manufactures the product.
She highlighted the fact the contract had not been drawn up by a
solicitor, methodically point-ing out various flaws including, most
serious of all, the fact the formula itself was not owned by
Mr Veli. Despite this flaw, Mr Veli
argued he had secured almost sole global distribution rights and
had ownership of the brand-ing itself.
But Mrs Meaden was unconvinced, pointing out the quality of the
contract meant Mr Veli was relying mainly on a bond of trust rather
than having any legal guarantee he could maintain supply.
Although Mr Veli maintains he had no doubt about the valid-ity
of the contract, he did admit
from an investors standpoint it would have been off-putting.
He said: I like to think I am an honest person and expect the
same from others so from a per-sonal point of view the contract was
fine.
But it was a bit of a schoolboy error bringing in a contract I
drafted myself and expecting them to accept it. It is something
which has since been remedied.
After Mr Jones and Mrs Meaden stated they would not be making an
offer, fellow Dragons Nick Jenkins and Sarah Willingham also
with-drew, leaving only Mr Suleyman.
Mr Veli thought his chances had all but vanished. He said: It
was frustrating because I didnt see a problem with the
business.
RiskyWhen they all started dropping out I was like,
whats going on here?However, Mr Suleyman, whose businesses
have
a lot of exposure to the textile industry, saw much promise in
the product, but the risky contract meant his investment would only
be brought at a high price.
Instead of the five per cent equity Mr Veli was looking to give
away in the company, Mr Suleyman wanted ten times as much for his
money.
Describing the moment the offer was made, Mr Veli said: It was
absolutely brilliant and Mr Suley-man was the investor I was hoping
to get due to his connections, which are as important as the
money.
Obviously he wanted far more than I said I wanted to give away,
but while I was debating with myself about the offer I came to the
conclusion that him having a large stake will mean he is more
likely to focus on the business.
Dragons Den victoryearns man 100,000
from an investors standpoint it would have been
ally a real offer, but of course it turned out to be
genuine.
The main criticisms levelled at Mr Velis pitch
been drawn up by a solicitor, methodically point-ing out various
flaws including, most serious of all, the fact the formula itself
was not owned by
Mr Veli. Despite this flaw, Mr Veli
argued he had secured almost sole global distribution rights and
had ownership of the brand-ing itself.
But Mrs Meaden was unconvinced, pointing out the quality of the
contract meant Mr Veli was relying mainly on a bond of trust rather
than having any legal guarantee he could maintain supply.
Although Mr Veli maintains he had no doubt about the valid-ity
of the contract, he did admit
Dispute over fl ight paths is heading for the Appeal Court after
new rulingTHE ongoing battle over fl ight paths across the High
Weald looks set to intensify after campaigners won the right to fi
ght intolerable aircraft noise in the Appeal Court.
Spearheaded by Gatwick Obviously Not, a group which encompasses
many of the villages to the west of Tunbridge Wells, the campaign
has raised over 140,000 to take on the Civil Aviation Authority
(CAA).
Lord Justice Burnett, sitting in the Appeal Court last month,
overturned a previous High Court decision rejecting a judicial
review into fl ight paths.
He found that while the previous rejection of a
review into the fl ight paths meant there would be a signifi
cant hurdle to its success, there was reasonable argument for the
claim to go ahead.
Importantly, the review could end up setting a precedent by
which similar cases will be judged, after Lord Justice Burnett
stated the claim must remain in the Appeal Court because it was
desirable to: obtain an authoritative ruling on the meaning of
relevant provisions, which govern similar arrangements at airports
other than Gatwick."
The bid for a review has been orchestrated by Martin Barraud,
chair of action group Gatwick
Obviously Not. CAA said: We note the decision by the Court
of Appeal to permit a judicial review to clarify the CAA's role
regarding changes to aircraft approach procedures at Gatwick
implemented by NATS.
The CAA remains committed to working with industry to ensure
more is done to address the issue of aviation noise and to better
support the communities affected by it.
We know that aircraft noise can be a signifi cant disturbance
for many people and have consistently challenged the aviation
industry to be more ambitious in tackling its environmental
impacts.
WINNERCaner Veli landshis investmenet
PITCHINGCaner Veli shows the Dragons his wares
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Wednesday 13th January 2016
6 LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS
New gourmet store breaks sales recordsBy Adam Hignett
[email protected]
THE recent opening of a new Cook store in Tunbridge Wells has
paid off after the company confirmed it had broken all previous
records for Christmas sales.
Cook, which sells gourmet frozen foods pro-duced in Kent, opened
its new Tunbridge Wells shop on Monson Road in November.
It is located just a few doors down from its previous premises,
which were substantially smaller, and has proven to be hugely
popular with customers.
CommunityBut the new store is proving to be a boon for the
company, with sales over the Christmas period 88 per cent higher
than in 2014.
By breaking the record on weekly sales in the run up to
Christmas, the Tunbridge Wells shop has overtaken Sevenoaks, which
has held the record since 2012.
Commenting on the success of the new Tun-bridge Wells store,
managing director Edward Perry said: We are delighted how the
people of Tunbridge Wells appear to have taken it to their
hearts.
We always had the vision for the shop to be at the heart of the
local community and so far weve
been able to help out nine local community organisations with
food for events or fundraising.
The news comes after Cook announced like-for-like sales across
the company during the six week Christmas period totalled 7.4
million, up 6.6 per cent on 2014.
Sales growth at the company for the year was curtailed, however,
by the allocation of too much space to seasonal lines during the
summer, which the company admitted was a bit of a damp squib.
Furthermore, fierce competition meant the sale of single and
double portion meals was challenging.
Total revenue across its 83 shops was 49.9 million over 2015, up
from 45.5 million the previous year.
This annual sales growth of 2.7 per cent was described by the
company as: Decent enough, but not quite where we want to be.
But earnings before tax was more positive, increasing by 32 per
cent during 2015 to 4.1 million, compared to 3.1 million in 2014,
leaving room for the companys first ever dividend pay-out of
400,000.
However, Cook said it would maintain its ambitious target of
hitting sales of 75 million per annum by 2019, forecasting a growth
rate of 15 per cent a year.
Concessions were the key to the companys growth, with new
products bringing a big
STRONG RESULTS Left to right: Founders Edward Perryand Dale
Penfold
MORE than 50 jobs will be created with the development of the
new boutique hotel in Tunbridge Wells, One Warwick Park.
The 38-bedroom four-star venue is under development and set to
be completed this summer.
As a major investment in the areas economy, the new site will be
seeking new staff across the business.
Promising to be among the areas most distinctive destinations,
it has been welcomed by property experts including Savills, which
anticipated it will prove a strong addition to the towns
accommodation provision.
With many businesses and venues in the surrounding Southern area
of the town recording an upturn in trade over the past year,
the emergence of another high quality hotel will add further to
the
areas commercial mix.Construction
work on the site began in August 2013,
involving combining The Brew House Hotel
with the Old School House, as well as adjoining buildings to
form the new venue. There is a tunnel running underneath Cumberland
Walk which connects the different elements of the site.
Sarah Freeman, the project manager, explained the hotel aims to
offer a fi ve-star level of service, as well as promising plenty of
style for its discerning client base.
Speaking on its development, she said: Work is progressing well
and were confi dent that when the hotel opens in June it will prove
itself to be a tremendous asset to the area, benefi tting
residents, businesses and visitors alike.
Head of recruitment for One Warwick Park, Kate Awcock, said:
This unique and beautifully designed hotel offers fantastic
opportunities for people who may not have considered a career in
hospitality before. We are currently recruiting for all positions
from receptionist and porters to head chef and concierge.
All staff will be offered bespoke in-house training with full
support through formal qualifi cations and career development. We
genuinely care about our staff and in turn that results in them
having pride in their role and the level of service they deliver,
so everyone is happy.
She explained that the recruitment programme has been developed
along the same principles as the hotel itself in having a high
attention to detail and to position itself among the areas leading
hotels.
In terms of its approach to building its new team, the
recruitment manager said the company would be looking to create an
atmosphere which fostered the skills of its employees.
Kate Awcock added: The fi rst member of staff to be recruited is
front of house manager Bryony England. Having worked for the
company for four years, she has developed from a junior
receptionist. She is now in a position to be taking on the
challenge of delivering an uncompromising level of service and
ensuring that every guests experience is a highlight.
See page 75 for job application details.
Stylish town hotel set to bring dozens of jobs
As a major investment in the areas economy, the new site will be
seeking
the emergence of another high quality hotel will add further to
the
areas commercial mix.Construction
work on the site began in August 2013,
involving combining The Brew House Hotel
with the Old School House, as
WARM WELCOMEContemporary new reception area. Inset, fi rst
recruit Bryony England
-
Wednesday 13th January 2016
LOCAL BUSINESS NEWS 7
Care home wins top industry awardsSTAFF and residents at Mount
Ephraim House were celebrating the New Year on a high after the
care home won accolades at two different awards. The Tunbridge
Wells care home, which provides for 38 residents, won the Dignity
in Care Award at the Great British Care Awards South East.
The award is presented to homes that demonstrate the signifi
cance of maximising resident independence and choice, whilst
respecting and maintaining privacy and dignity at all times.
Mount Ephraim House will compete against eight regional winners
at the Great British Care
Awards fi nal in May.The care home also won the Compassion
and
End of Life categories at the national 3rd Sector Care Awards,
which were presented to staff by journalist and TV presenter Dame
Esther Rantzen.
Karen Cooper, manager at Mount Ephraim House, said: I am so
proud of the staff for winning three awards in such quick
succession.
Our residents lead a dignifi ed life because we support them to
live as they choose to even if some of the requests are very
unusual. Now were keeping our fi ngers crossed for the national fi
nal.
improvement in product margins, and sales increasing 19 per cent
to 8 million on the previous year.
FutureIn addition sales of party foods and
four-portion meals were also robust. Looking ahead, Cooks annual
report high-
lighted the future challenges and opportuni-ties for the
business.
It said: It doesnt require any great insight to see that the
food retail landscape continues to change at an extraordinary
pace.
The rise of discounters, such as Aldi and Lidl; the acute pain
being felt by the big supermarkets; and the exponential growth of
online shopping are the big trends.
eight regional winners at the Great British Care
ACCOLADES Dame Esther Rantzen (L) presents award to care home
staff
The Cook storyCOOK was founded in 1997 by Edward Perry and Dale
Penfold in Farnham Surrey on the back of a 20,000 bank loan.
The idea behind the company is encapsulated in its founding
statement: To cook using the same ingredients and techniques that a
good cook would use at home so all our food looks and tastes
homemade.
But growing the company to the 83 stores it has today was not an
easy task, with the pair spending the first three years in a mire
of stress and torment trying to figure out how to make the food
taste good.
Mr Perry said: While Dale was a great chef and I was a pretty
good retailer, our combined administrative skills were virtually
non-existent.
In our first three years, for example, we hadnt seen the need to
keep any accounts.
This was partially due to my own ineptness but also because I
knew that if we saw any proper numbers then they would certainly
tell us we should close the business.
The pair struggled to secure funding for growth, due to the poor
accounts, but a merger with a bakery business operated by Mr Perrys
brother James in 2000 resulted in the company that is around
today.
Mr Perry added: The next seven years were a frenzy of growth as
we expanded as fast as we could while retaining our
independence.
The onset of the credit crisis was a particularly traumatic time
for the company as it had borrowed a ludicrous amount of money at
the same time sales collapsed.
But the firm refused to compromise on ingredients, and after the
worst of the recession had passed their rapid expansion resumed,
and the company founded by two friends now employs over 700
people.
COOK TEAM Left to Right: Ros Bannister, Ben Wells, Holly
Ward
Picture: Murray Jones
-
Wednesday 13th January 2016
8 BUSINESS AWARDS
RVP reports increase infootfall during Christmas ROYAL Victoria
Place defi ed those forecasting a tough Christmas for retailers
after 1.5 million people visited the shopping centre in
December.
This fi gure represents an increase of 15 per cent on the
previous year.
In the four days leading up to Christmas 226,908 walked through
the doors of the centre, with over 50,000 visiting on Christmas Eve
alone.
Shoppers were taking advantage of new store openings, including
Swarovski, Bluebird Teas and Whirligig.
Sales were also being driven by the release of the latest fi lm
in the new Star Wars trilogy, with merchandise relating to the
franchise selling particularly well.
The resurgence of Lego continued unabated with shops reporting
it to be the top selling toy of the season.
Strong visitor numbers also continued into the New Year, with an
eight per cent increase in shoppers on January 2.
Royal Victoria Place centre manager Nicky Blanchard, said: Our
performance over the last few months reinforces the role strong
town centres can play in shaping the behaviour of shoppers.
Both national chains as well as local independent traders have
been able to capitalise in the strong growth in footfall that we
have delivered.
Looking forward to the future, we are confi dent our proposals
for Royal Victoria Place will benefi t the whole of Tunbridge
Wells, not just the shopping centre.
The shoppers I have spoken to have told me they are really
excited by the plans.
Companies sign up forboroughs new awardsHopeful applicants
target inaugural business honoursAMONG the early applicants for the
Royal Tun-bridge Wells Business Awards is EJ Financial, run by Ted
Shaw, an independent financial advisor.
He has chosen to be considered in the New Business of the Year
category.
EJ Financial is just one of a number of compa-nies to have been
submitted for consideration at the inaugural awards, which are due
to be held in April at Salomons.
The company, which has only been running since March 2015,
already has 8 million of assets under influence, an achievement Mr
Shaw attributes to the firms transparent approach to customer
service.
And it is his belief that not only will winning his category
benefit his business, but will also help promote the reputation of
his industry as a whole.
IndependentMr Shaw said: I hope that if I win this award I
will be able to improve the public perception of financial
services.
I set up EJ Financial because I was fed up with the smoke and
mirrors approach conducted by a few firms and wanted to be totally
transparent with my fees, service and feedback.
Mr Shaw adds his company is totally inde-pendent and has no
connections with other providers, ensuring he is able to give
completely impartial advice.
He said: Winning the award will help to high-light that there is
a new breed of people within the industry who are honest and put
clients first.
At the moment many people have a poor view of advisors.
His services include financial review and plan-ning, pension
contribution planning, pension freedom advice and ISA contributions
alongside tax planning.
Applicants wishing to have their company considered are able to
choose from a number of categories which they believe best defines
their businesses.
APPLICANTTed Shaw of EJ Financial
bawardssiu ness
David JukesA successful businessman and Leader of Tunbridge
Wells Bor-ough Council. Former owner of a construction project
manage-ment company Mr Jukes now
acts as a consultant for a number of national and international
organisations.
Brian Keeley-WhitingManaging director of Whiting & Hammond,
the independ-ent, award-winning pub and restaurant group that he
estab-lished 12 years ago. Today it
has eight sites in the region and won the title of Best Small
Group at the Employers in Hospital-ity Awards.
Richard MooreEditorial director of One Media, publishers of the
Times of Tunbridge Wells and So magazines previously ran a
political lobbying company in
London, worked on US Presidential election campaigns and in 2008
helped launch So Tun-bridge Wells magazine.
The Categories New Business of the Year Green Company of the
Year Creative Business of the Year Corporate Social Responsibility
Business Hero of the Year Best Family Business of the Year
Entrepreneur of the Year Young Business Person of the Year Service
Excellence Award Outstanding Business of the Year The Times of
Tunbridge Wells Readers Choice Award
Each winner of a category will automatically be put forward for
the title of Outstanding Busi-ness of the Year Award. Companies may
also directly enter this category.
The awards are open to those with companies within the borough
of Tunbridge Wells or its surrounding area.
For further information, visit:
www.tunbridgewellsbusinessawards.co.uk
The Judges Darren AustinA partner/owner at Synergee, the
chartered accountants and business advisers. His main focus is
business development which involves working with
clients on defining and achieving their busi-ness goals.
Nigel HarperThe CEO of Parfitt Cresswell Solicitors. He is also
a partner in Holland Harper LLP. Mr Harper specialises in providing
management and business con-
sultancy services to a number of professional and commercial
clients.
Jo JamesChief executive of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce,
the countys only accredited Chamber of Commerce that serves
more than 1,300 members businesses across Kent. Mrs James was
recently voted a National Woman of the Year 2015.
APPLICANTTed Shaw of EJ Financial
bawawa awaw rdssiu ne
dedsdsdssss
bridge Wells magazine.A partner/owner at Synergee, the chartered
accountants and business advisers. His main focus is business
development which involves working with
clients on defining and achieving their busi-ness goals.
Nigel HarperThe CEO of Parfitt Cresswell Solicitors. He is also
a partner in Holland Harper LLP. Mr Harper specialises in providing
management and business con-
sultancy services to a number of professional and commercial
clients.
Jo JamesChief executive of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce,
the countys only accredited Chamber of Commerce that serves
more than 1,300 members businesses across Kent. Mrs James was
recently voted a National Woman of the Year 2015.
NEW LOOKPlans for RVP
-
Wednesday 13th January 2016
LOCAL NEWS 9
Neill [email protected]
FOR the first time in a generation, doctors across the country,
including the Tunbridge Wells area, have gone on strike over
proposed changes to working conditions.
The government has claimed it is vital to allow patients access
to weekend medical care which doctors, supported by the British
Medical Associ-ation, have claimed will place too much strain on
staff.
A total of 227 junior doctors are employed by Maidstone and
Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, work-ing across its sites.
Staff at Pembury were among thousands of oth-ers in the country
taking their place at over 100 picket lines yesterday (Tuesday,
January 12th), with 4,000 routine med-ical procedures being
cancelled nationally.
Rohan Kandasamy, 26, a first-year doctor at Tunbridge Wells
Hospital, said patient safety was at the heart of their reasons for
the strike.
Speaking to the Times, he said: We feel that the current
proposals about our contract will leave us in a position where the
NHS Trust will put us in a position where we are working hours that
are unsafe.
The suggestions that have been made by gov-ernment dont offer
any reassurance that we wont end up working more hours theres no
safety net there.
With these contracts, it will be a less enticing job for the
best and the brightest out there. The next
generation of students may not be working in medicine because of
this, and we are already seeing young doctors leaving to go
overseas to Australia.
People are working so many hours that they end up making
mistakes, such as one doctor in England who crashed their car as
a
result of being tired.He added that he had not seen any
proposals on how junior doc-tors could be asked to meet enhanced
demands of weekend
working without providing increased staffing.
His colleague, Alice OCon-nor, 27, a junior doctor working at
Tunbridge Wells Hospital, said: We are not against having 24/7 care
if it is fully staffed at all times, which would be ideal.
We know that our hours are not going to be 9am-5pm, which is the
nature of the job.
I think that our salaries are also adequate, and I wouldnt dream
of asking for more money. But the fact is we are being told that we
will have less pay for working more hours or at the least more
awkward hours. I think anyone in any profession would be irritated
by this.
Another female junior doctor, who asked not to be named, added:
The strike is something that I have been pretty upset about as its
not something that I would normally ever do.
But this is something that we are taking very seriously as the
contract that is being imposed is something thats going to be
unsafe for patients with doctors working longer hours.
Health Secretary seeks more talksHaving failed to avert a
doctors strike, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has urged the British
Medical Association to continue negotiations.
The Secretary, who claimed that 40% of junior doctors turned out
for work today, told the BBC: The right thing to do is to sit round
the table and talk to the Government about how we improve patient
safety and patient care, not these very unnecessary strikes.
On the issue of seven-day medical services, he added: We
recognise that if doctors are too tired they are not going to be
able to give safe care to patients.
But right now what happens is when a junior doctor is asked to
work at weekends which they do a lot they go into an A&E
department where, for example, there will be half as many
consultants working on a Sunday compared to a weekday despite it
being one of the busiest days.
First national doctors strike in 40 years
Staff at Pembury were among thousands of oth-ers in the country
taking their place at over 100 picket lines yesterday (Tuesday,
January 12th), with 4,000 routine med-ical procedures being
cancelled nationally.
Rohan Kandasamy, 26, a first-year doctor at Tunbridge Wells
Hospital, said patient safety was at the heart of their reasons
With these contracts, it will be a less enticing job for the
best and the brightest out there. The next
generation of students may not be working in medicine because of
this, and we are already seeing young doctors leaving to go
overseas to Australia.
People are working so many hours that they end up making
mistakes, such as one doctor in England who crashed their car as
a
result of being tired.He added that he had not seen any
proposals on how junior doc-tors could be asked to meet enhanced
demands of weekend
working without providing increased staffing.
His colleague, Alice OCon-nor, 27, a junior doctor working at
Tunbridge Wells Hospital, said: We are not against having 24/7 care
if it is fully staffed at all times, which would be ideal.
ON STRIKEJunior doctor Rohan Kandasamy
TEAM SUPPORTStriking doctorsoutside Maidstone Hospital
-
Wednesday 13th January 2016
10 LOCAL NEWS
MOTHER LOVEBowies mum Margaret Jones (nee Burns) died in St
Albans in 2001
A RETIRED academic may have sacrificed his own life to save a
suicidal friend from being killed when she leapt on to a railway
line, an inquest heard.
David Ashworth, 74, was hit by a train travelling at around
70mph after jumping on to tracks near Chartham railway station in
Kent to save 38-year-old Ella Akehurst.
Having been unable to push mentally-ill Ms Akehurst out of the
trains path, it is believed Dr Ashworth positioned her on the track
so she would not be hurt.
The inquest, at Margate Magistrates Court, heard the 10.22
Charing Cross to Ramsgate service carrying 41 passengers passed
over Ms Akehurst, but killed father-of-two Dr Ashworth.
Recording a narrative verdict, assistant coroner James Dillon,
said: The evidence from British Transport Police is that in
attempting to assist Ms Akehurst, Dr Ashworth had placed himself in
a perilous position.
Presumably being unable to push her out of the path of the
oncoming train, it is highly likely that he tried to position her
so that she wouldnt
suffer further injury.In so doing, he may have sacrificed
the
opportunity of getting himself out of harms way and, as a
result, was hit and killed by the train.
University of Manchester graduate Dr Ashworth - who retired from
the University of Kent in 2003 - has now been nominated to the
Cabinet Office for a posthumous civilian gallantry award.
The inquest heard that father-of-two Dr Ashworth, who lived in
Sturry, near Canterbury, was a family friend and unofficial carer
for Ms Akehurst, who suffered with bipolar disorder.
A retired Kent academic may have sacrificed own life to save a
friend
Bowie and his Tunbridge Wells family rootsNeill Barston
[email protected]
TRIBUTES continue to flow in from across the world for music
legend David Bowie who died this week and had close family ties
with Tunbridge Wells.
Fans have inundated the late rock stars website and social media
sites with praise for his hugely influential career over more than
four decades.
Though he had lived latterly in New York, his familys roots in
Kent have not been forgotten by those who have loved his music.
Bowies mother, Margaret, grew up in Southborough and met the
stars father Haywood Stenton Jones at Tunbridge Wells former Ritz
cinema, which now stands derelict awaiting eventual
redevelopment.
The couple moved to South London just before Bowie was born, but
he famously attended Bromley Tech and played a number of gigs
across Kent during his early years before finding fame in the late
1960s with Space Oddity.
Fans have flocked to buy Bowies 25th and final album, which was
released just last week on his 69th birthday. According to his
publicist, he died with his friends and family at his side, having
suffered from cancer for the past 18 months.
Praise from the music community was equally forthcoming for the
man who went by a number of exotic guises including Ziggy Stardust
and Aladdin Sane, which propelled him to a global audience in the
1970s.
He had been constantly asked to continue touring, but after
feeling ill on stage in 2004 in Germany, after which he had
emergency heart surgery. From there he only made fleeting live
appearances on medical advice. But after decades of touring the
world, he was content to focus on studio recordings for his final
musical chapters.
Jeremy Pritchard, who grew up in Tunbridge Wells and has enjoyed
chart-topping success with his band Everything Everything, felt
that David Bowie had been a huge influence on so many musicians
around the world.He said: Last year I was lucky enough to be in
Melbourne at the same time as the V&A's exhaustive exhibition
of his life and work that I had missed while it was in London. I
was moved to tears by the end of it.
Bowie will forever be a guiding light for musicians. One that
says
'It's okay to take huge risks, okay to make mistakes, just don't
be boring!' I constantly find that hugely comforting. I, like all
musicians, artists, writers, fashionistas, freaks, lefties and
weirdos of all kinds, owe him an enormous debt. RIP.
The Tunbridge Wells HMV music store reported that copies of his
new record, Blackstar, had sold out due to a huge surge in
demand.
A spokesperson for store said: It was a real shock to hear that
David had died - our stocks of the album have been completely wiped
out. He was such an influential musician.
CHARTHAM STATION Father of two hit by train
NEWS IN BRIEF
Sun causes delays upsetting travellersRail passengers have
expressed their anger after being told trains were delayed due to
strong sunlight.
Services at Lewisham, south-east London were disrupted because
of the angle of the sun, train operator Southeastern said.
The rail firm posted on Twitter: We had severe congestion
through Lewisham due to dispatching issues as a result of strong
sunlight. The low winter sun has been hitting the dispatch monitor
which prevents the driver from being able to see.
Virtual reality rideAlton Towers has announced plans to open a
new rollercoaster on which passengers wear virtual reality
headsets.
The new space-themed ride, called Galactica, will be the first
major opening at the Staffordshire theme park since 16 people were
injured in a rollercoaster crash in June.Galactica will combine a
physical rollercoaster with virtual reality, with each passenger on
the 840-metre long track wearing a virtual reality headset that
will create the illusion they are flying through space, with the
movements on-screen coinciding with those on the track.
Prickly calls to 999A hedgehog scaring some children and a
demand for a glass of water are just two of the ridiculous reasons
people have dialled 999.Audio of calls including for lost keys, a
taxi home and a prank call are being released by West Midlands
Ambulance Service as part of a week-long awareness campaign about
inappropriate use.
-
Wednesday 13th January 2016
NATIONAL BUSINESS 11
ALMOST one in eight British consumers did their single biggest
December grocery shop at either Aldi or Lidl, new figures show.
Lidl was the fastest growing supermarket overall over the
Christmas period with sales up by 18.5%, thanks in particular to an
expanded premium range which contributed to customers increasing
their average basket size by 7% to 17.20, accord-ing to Kantar
Worldpanel.
PremiumAldi followed with an increase in sales of 13.3%.
Waitrose, the Co-operative and Sainsburys also grew ahead of the
market in the 12 weeks to Janu-ary 3 as sales across the grocery
market fell 0.2% on last year because of continuing price
deflation.
Sainsburys was once again the best performer of the traditional
supermarkets, with its premium Taste The Difference brand posting
its biggest ever Christmas sales, and straightforward price cuts
rather than multi-buy deals helping to attract an additional
114,000 shoppers, leading to a 0.8% sales increase on last
year.
Tesco sales fell by 2.7%, while its market share dropped to
28.3%. Asda and Morrisons also saw their share declining to 16.2%
and 11.0% respectively.
Kantar Worldpanel said Morrisons share loss was expected as it
continued to feel the effects of recent store closures, while the
retailer had not repeated last years Christmas Bonus loyalty cash
promotion.
Lidl Christmas sales up 18.5% as shoppers look for discounts
Morrisons enjoys surprise boostSUPERMARKET Morrisons said
customers are coming back to its stores as it posted a surprise
rise in festive sales after its best Christmas for four years.The
Bradford-based grocer reported a 0.2% rise in sales at established
stores, excluding fuel, in the nine weeks to January 3 in a marked
turnaround after recent hefty sales declines.Figures for the six
weeks to January 3 showed an even better performance, with
like-for-like sales up 0.5%.But Morrisons said it would close
another seven stores despite the improved trading, putting around
680 jobs at risk.
Tube workers in Acas talks to avoid strikeTALKS aimed at
averting a series of strikes by London Underground workers are to
be held on Friday.
Leaders of Aslef, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union and
Unite will meet with LU bosses under the chairmanship of the
conciliation service Acas.
Three 24-hour strikes have been called in the coming weeks in
the long-running dispute over pay and plans for an all-night tube
service.
Eggs leave sour tasteTHE maker of Cadbury Creme Eggs has
defended the controversial change of recipe to the seasonal
favourite after its Easter lines lost millions in sales last
year.
Research by analysts IRI for trade magazine The Grocer found
that the brands best-selling Easter lines lost more than 10 million
in sales in 2015, narrowing its market share from 42% to 40%.
Asahi chases brandsJAPANESE brewer Asahi is reportedly
considering bidding for lager brands Peroni and Grolsch, being put
up for sale as part of the takeover of SABMiller.
Asahi, which is known for its Super Dry Beer, confirmed it was
looking at deals after reports at the weekend revealed it was
eyeing the two brands for acquisition in a deal that is thought to
be worth as much as 400 billion yen (2.3 billion).
BUSINESS IN BRIEF
However the Bradford-based grocer today revealed a surprise rise
in sales (see below) over the festive season, reporting a 0.2% rise
in like-for-like sales excluding fuel in the nine weeks to January
3.
Waitrose benefitted from shoppers trading up at Christmas, as
usual, leading to a sales increase of 1.5% and its market share
increasing to 5.2%.
The Co-operative also won market share at Christ-mas for the
first time since it acquired Somerfield,
seeing a sales growth of 1.4% to secure 6% of the market.
Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar
Worldpanel, said: Shoppers reaped the benefit of falling prices
this Christmas, with groceries 1.8% cheaper than last year.
The amount spent on a typical Christmas din-ner fell even faster
down by 2.2% mainly due to cheaper poultry and traditional
vegetable trimmings.
-
Wednesday 13th January 2016
12 INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Cologne assaults: Nolinks to organised crimeTHE New Years Eve
assaults in Cologne and elsewhere blamed largely on foreigners were
not linked to organised crime, a top German police offi cial has
said.
Authorities are looking into whether the robberies and sexual
assaults by groups of men in Cologne were co-ordinated or linked to
smaller-scale incidents in other cities.
Bullfi ghting bannedINDIAS Supreme Court has banned this years
bullfi ghting ritual at a harvest festival in the south after
protests from activists who say the sport amounts to animal
torture. The court also asked the Environment Ministry to respond
to petitions from several animal rights groups that have campaigned
to have the sport of Jallikattu permanently outlawed.
Food reaches MadayaAID convoys have delivered long-awaited food,
medicine and other supplies to three besieged Syrian communities
cut off for months by fighting amid reports that hundreds are on
the brink of death. Reports of starvation and images of emaciated
children in Madaya have raised global concerns and underscored the
urgency for new peace talks that the United Nations is hoping to
host in Geneva on January 25.
AN ISLAMIC State suicide bomber has detonated a bomb in a
historic district of Istanbul popular with tourists, killing 10
people at least nine of them German and wounding 15 others, Turkish
officials said.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said IS was behind the suicide
attack, adding that Turkey is determined to battle the militant
group until it no longer remains a threat to the country or the
world.
Turkeys state-run news agency said Mr Davutoglu held a telephone
conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to express his
condolences.
ResponsibilityA senior government official confirmed that
most of the victims were German. Ms Merkel had earlier said they
were part of a German travel group.
I strongly condemn the terror incident that occurred in
Istanbul, at the Sultanahmet Square, and which has been assessed as
being an attack by a Syria-rooted suicide bomber, President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan said.
Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said the bomber was a
28-year-old Syrian national whose connections were being
investigated. It was unclear whether the death toll of 10 included
the bomber.
Ms Merkel, speaking at a news conference in Berlin yesterday,
condemned the attack: Today Istanbul was hit, Paris has been hit,
Tunisia has been hit, Ankara has been hit before. International
terrorism is once again showing its cruel and inhuman face
today.
The explosion, which could be heard over a
wide area, hit a park that is home to a landmark obelisk, 30
yards from the historic Blue Mosque.
Turkeys Dogan news agency said one Norwegian and a Peruvian were
also among the wounded, and Seouls Foreign Ministry said a South
Korean had a finger injury. The Norwegian Foreign Ministry told
Norways news agency NTB that the Norwegian tourist was slightly
hurt and was being treated in a local hospital.
Mr Kurtulmus said two of the wounded were in serious
condition.
Germany and Denmark have warned their citizens to avoid crowds
outside tourist attractions in Istanbul.
Last year, Turkey agreed to take a more active
role in the US-led battle against IS. Turkey opened its bases to
US aircraft to launch air raids on the extremist group in Syria and
has carried out a limited number of strikes itself.
It has also moved to tighten security along its 560-mile border
with Syria in a bid to stem the flow of militants.
Police sealed off the Sultanahmet area, barring people from
approaching in case of a second explosion, and a police helicopter
hovered overhead.
Sultanahmet is Istanbuls main sightseeing area and includes the
Topkapi Palace and the former Byzantine church of Haghia Sophia,
now a museum.
WORLD IN BRIEF Turkish suicide bomb kills tourists
HIGH ALERT Police secure historic Sultanahmet district
-
NO EVEN MORE ITEMS
UPTO
OFF WOMEN'S FASHION, MENSWEAR ACCESSORIES AND HOMEWARES
-
Wednesday 13th January 2016
14 PEOPLE
CELEBRITY chef Rosemary Shrager is making a return to our
screens with a new BBC reality show challenging stars to consider
retiring in India.
The Tunbridge Wells food expert, who owns The Cookery School on
The Pantiles, features in The Real Marigold Hotel, which follows in
the footsteps of the hit movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
Joining the star chef for the series are dancer Wayne Sleep,
actress Miriam Margolyes, darts player Bobby George, former Dr Who
Sylvester McCoy, TV presenters Jan Leeming and Roy Walker, and
singer Patti Boulaye.
The show, which is set in a North Eastern Indian mansion house
in
Jaipur, traces their progress over three weeks as they attempt
to adapt to a very different way of life and culture.
During their stay, the group is taken out of its comfort zone
visiting a city slum, as well as encountering the areas royal
family at the Rambagh Palace.
The celebrities are also tasked with dividing domestic chores,
including shopping and cleaning, with decisions to be made over
employing staff to assist them which Rosemary admit-ted led to
tensions boiling over.
They also have the opportunity to take in some of Indias finest
tourist sites, including the Taj Mahal, and experience elephant
riding and learning Hindi
during their adventure.Speaking to our sister
publication So Tunbridge Wells magazine, Rosemary, 64, described
her three-week experience as wonderful and a great chance to
exam-ine life overseas.
Im certainly not ready to retire and I have a business to run.
However, I thought it would be a great opportu-nity to go and just
find out what it would be like, said the chef, who has appeared on
TV series that include Ladette to Lady, Im a Celeb-rity Get Me Out
of Here! as well as her own series in which contestants were
invited to cook in a Michelin starred restaurant.
As she admitted, the expe-
rience in the extreme heat often posed a number of challenges
between housemates.
She said: We were all extremely different people, so this was
going to be interesting. We had to start running the house
ourselves and nobody could make any deci-sions. Quite frankly, it
was a nightmare I took over and said I would do the cooking.
So the first day I went to the market and asked Roy, Sylvester
and Wayne to come along. We looked at spices and vegetables and
then went to buy a chicken. The man killed it by slitting its
throat and putting it into a bucket with the lid on as it was still
mov-ing, which was not for me.
The day was so hot at around 40 degrees, which was making me
very frus-trated in not understand-ing anything. However, at that
moment,
Rosemarys big Indian adventure provides plenty of food for
thought
The fi lmThe Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, starring Judi Dench and
Bill Nighy,
was a signifi cant box-offi ce success on its
release in 2012.Based on the
novel These Foolish Things, the movie
followed the fortunes of a group
of British pensioners seeking an adventurous
alternative life in India for their retirement years.
The movies strong critical reception led to a sequel, The Second
Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, last year. Despite it gaining some
favourable reviews, plans for a third and fi nal instalment have
reportedly now been shelved.
rience in the extreme heat often posed a number of challenges
between housemates.
She said: We were all extremely different people, so this was
going to be interesting. We had to start running the house
ourselves and nobody could make any deci-sions. Quite frankly, it
was a nightmare I took over and said I would do the cooking.
So the first day I went to the market and asked Roy, Sylvester
and Wayne to come along. We looked at spices and vegetables and
then went to buy a chicken. The man killed it by slitting its
throat and putting it into a bucket with the lid on as it was still
mov-ing, which was not for me.
The day was so hot at around 40 degrees, which was making me
very frus-trated in not understand-ing anything. However, at that
moment,
The fi lmThe Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, starring Judi Dench and
Bill Nighy,
was a signifi cant box-offi ce success on its
release in 2012.Based on the
novel These Foolish Things, the movie
followed the fortunes of a group
of British pensioners seeking an adventurous
alternative life in India for their retirement years.
The movies strong critical reception led to a sequel, The Second
Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, last year. Despite it gaining some
favourable reviews, plans for a third and fi nal instalment have
reportedly now been shelved.
the most important thing was to learn a little of the language
to get by. The meal was cooked, and if I was going to learn
anything about India I had to give up the cooking temporarily.
According to Rosemary, the male celebrities wanted nothing to do
with the domestic arrangements, which resulted in the women of the
house deciding to take on staff.
After putting in the early run-ning with the cooking, the chef
decided that taking events at a more leisurely pace made more
sense
She added: I started doing some yoga, which was amazing. Its the
meditation that I was more inter-ested in, as it was so peaceful. I
then decided to find a guru and started having some meditation.
This prompted me to take a little more care of myself. I then
went to a spa which is wonderful. I had the most amazing treatment
with two women massaging me. It was quite unnerving to begin with,
but I got used to it.
When I came to pay it was 10 for everything, which is definitely
something about India I like. In the evening, I watched the sunset
go down with Wayne, which was
magical.Over the course of her three-week stay
there were occa-sions to soak up some of Indias finest sights.
The group were also given a crash-
course in
language skills in a bid to improve the quality of their
experience.
We took a train to Agra. This was my favourite moment of the
whole trip, enthused Rosemary. Wayne and I met a group of women who
were on a pilgrimage which was going to take 24 hours. They were
singing and dancing and we decided to join in, which was magical. I
had some Henna done and the people there were so lovely, they just
accepted us.
Despite some tensions between the housemates, Rosemary felt the
overall challenge had been well-worth taking on. While she may not
be quite ready to hang up her professional chefs knives just yet,
her journey offered plenty of food for thought.
She added: As the weeks went on, I found an inner peace. The
whole atmosphere was spiritual, which I found very moving. The
willingness and generosity to do anything was humbling. We can
learn from how they take care of their elderly, they have so much
respect.
I would also like to explore more about the food, which is
wonderful. Where we were in Rajasthan was mostly vegetarian, led by
grains, though some meat is eaten there. In Southern India, it is
fish and a lot of coconut based dishes it is a country full of
culinary diversity.
We all left leaving a little bit of ourselves behind, and while
I couldnt retire there, I would love to go back.
The three-part Real Marigold Hotel series is due to air later
this month on BBC Two.
Pic
ture
: BB
C/V
inod
Sin
gh/T
wof
our
THE MARIGOLD GROUP Left to Right: Bobby George, Rosemary
Shrager, Roy Walker, Jan Leeming, Sylvester McCoy, Patti Boulaye,
Wayne Sleep and Miriam Margolyes
BEARING FRUITRosemary Shragers bittersweet TV series
-
If you are experiencing the anxiety and loss of a relationship
ending and suffering sleepless nights worrying about the future,
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Why separation and divorce can be a civilised affair
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Authority . No 71480
Wednesday 13th January 2016
ADVERTISING FEATURE 15
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-
Wednesday 13th January 2016
16 RICHEST ROADS
VILLAGES surrounding Tunbridge Wells are giving the town a run
for its money when it comes to house prices. Thats just one of the
fascinating facts to emerge from our survey of the Richest Roads in
the borough.
Although the top three Richest Roads are in Tunbridge Wells
itself, six of the top 10 most expensive hotspots 14 of the top 20
in total are located in villages on the outskirts.
But property prices across the area in general remain healthy,
with the vast majority of the top 50 roads boasting an average
house value of over 1million.
Many of these addresses are proving so popular with the current
residents that there have been very few property sales in recent
years.
So, to compile the countdown, weve consulted the Zed Index, an
estimate system put together
by online property site Zoopla.co.uk. Taking a variety of
environmental and market factors into account, along with recent
sold prices, the Index calculates a current average property value
for each road.*
We searched across the four postcode prefixes that cover
Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding area TN1, TN2, TN3 and TN4 to
bring you the roads with the highest price tags.
Do you live in one of the Richest Roads in the borough?Survey
reveals most expensive addresses and top postcodes in the area
Road name Average house value Road name Average house value
11. Franks Hollow Road, Tunbridge Wells TN3 1,480,000 31.
Etherington Hill, Tunbridge Wells TN3 1,184,000
12. Hoghole Lane, Lamberhurst TN3 1,424,000 32. Lake Road,
Tunbridge Wells TN4 1,170,000
13. Langton Ridge, Langton Green TN3 1,411,000 33. Nevill Gate,
Tunbridge Wells TN2 1,163,000
14. Rosecroft Park, Farnham Lane, Langton Green TN3 1,408,000
34. Upper Cumberland Walk, Tunbridge Wells TN2 1,161,000
15. Broom Park, Broom Lane, Langton Green TN3 1,399,000 35.
Ospringe Place, Tunbridge Wells TN2 1,140,000
16. Old House Lane, Fordcombe TN3 1,393,000 36. Post Office
Square, London Road, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1,127,000
17. Broom Lane, Langton Green TN3 1,383,000 37. The Common,
Tunbridge Wells TN4 1,085,000
18. Ewehurst Lane, Speldhurst TN3 1,383,000 38. Darnley Drive,
Bidborough TN4 1,070,000
19. Blatchington Road, Tunbridge Wells TN2 1,374,000 39. Eden
Road, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1,061,000
20. Clay Hill Road, Lamberhurst TN3 1,350,000 40. Marlborough
Close, Tunbridge Wells TN4 1,034,000
21. Benhall Mill Road, Tunbridge Wells TN3 1,338,000 41. Major
Yorks Road, Tunbridge Wells TN4 1,029,000
22. Nevill Park, Tunbridge Wells TN4 1,310,000 42. Dundale Road,
Tunbridge Wells TN3 1,007,000
23. Camden Park, Tunbridge Wells TN2 1,310,000 43. St Marks
Road, Tunbridge Wells TN2 1,006,000
24. Decimus Place, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1,293,000 44. Cumberland
Walk, Tunbridge Wells TN1 975,000
25. Hungershall Park, Tunbridge Wells TN4 1,290,000 45. Camden
Hill, Tunbridge Wells TN2 973,000
26. Richmond Place, Tunbridge Wells TN2 1,278,000 46. St
Lawrence Avenue, Bidborough TN4 972,000
27. Rusthall Place, Langton Road, Tunbridge Wells TN4 1,256,000
47. Manor Park, Tunbridge Wells TN4 965,000
28. Hurstwood Park, Tunbridge Wells TN4 1,239,000 48. Royal
Chase, Tunbridge Wells TN4 957,000
29. Blackhurst Lane, Tunbridge Wells TN2 1,215,000 49. Regent
Place, Kingswood Road, Tunbridge Wells TN2 946,000
30. Broomhill Road, Tunbridge Wells TN3 1,198,000 50. Calverley
Park Crescent, Tunbridge Wells TN1 941,000
THOSE THAT DIDNT QUITE MAKE OUR TOP TEN:
-
TUNBRIDGE WELLS
POSTCODE LOTTERY
How has your postcode prefix fared during 2015?
TN1 Over the last 12 months, there have been 274 property sales
across the entire TN1 postcode area, with an average paid price of
about 357,000. The Zed Index puts the current average property
value slightly higher, at 376,000, which is an increase of 9%, or
just over 31,000, since last year.
TN3 The Zed Index puts the average property value for this area
at 702,000 an increase of nearly 49,000 on last year - which is
significantly higher than the 542,000 paid average achieved this
year. However, that was across just 121 sales.
TN2 There was an increase of over 10% in the average property
value in TN2 during 2015, adding more than 45,000 to bring it to
468,000. In reality, 381 sales produced an average paid price of
405,000.
TN4 Sales have been brisk in TN4 over the last 12 months, with
nearly 490 properties changing hands. This has resulted in an
average paid price of 389,000, while the Zed Index gives the
average property value an increase of 28,000, to 420,000.
RICHEST ROADS 17
RICHEST ROADS
WHAT IS THE ZED INDEX?*Zoopla.co.uks algorithim uses a variety
of factors to work out a propertys current Zed Index value, with a
combination of publicly available data and their own industry
research. These include: previous sold prices and nearby
transactions; size, characteristics and similarities to other
properties in the area; asking prices for similar properties nearby
and changes in their market value.Figures are correct at the time
of writing. (Image source Zoopla heatmap)
Do you live in one of the Richest Roads in the borough?Survey
reveals most expensive addresses and top postcodes in the area
1HOLLYSHAW CLOSE, CAMDEN PARK, TUNBRIDGE WELLS TN2 AVERAGE HOUSE
VALUE 3,033,000With no property sales in recent years, its
clear
that our number one road is a big hit with residents, making it
very exclusive. There are just a handful of detached houses,
arranged along a tranquil close adjacent to the picturesque and
almost as exclusive Camden Park, so its easy to see the appeal.
2THE CROSSWAY, NEVILL PARK, TUNBRIDGE WELLS TN4AVERAGE HOUSE
VALUE 2,271,000Of the two property sales made in this road during
the last 10 years, both were around the 2million mark, making this
the towns second most desirable address. Overlooking the greenery
of Nevill Park, The Crossway is located roughly halfway between The
Pantiles and Langton Green, offering quick and easy access to the
towns most famous landmark.
3 CALVERLEY PARK, TUNBRIDGE WELLS TN1AVERAGE HOUSE VALUE
2,127,000According to Zed Index estimates, a property bought here
five years ago
will have seen its value increase by around 30%. Skirting the
north and east sides of attractive Calverley Grounds, this
sought-after road is within a short walking distance of the town
centre and the railway station.
4 BARDEN ROAD, SPELDHURST TN3AVERAGE HOUSE VALUE
2,050,000Leading north out of Speldhurst, Barden Road boasts some
impressive rural properties in a beautiful spot. Residents here can
enjoy the peace of country life, while being just minutes away from
the amenities of the village.
5 THE MIDWAY, NEVILL COURT, TUNBRIDGE WELLS TN4AVERAGE HOUSE
VALUE 1,923,000Like its neighbour, The Crossway, this road
enjoys
an enviable spot adjacent to Nevill Park. Similarly, only three
residents have parted with properties here in the last decade. With
fields all around and Tunbridge Wells Golf Club not far away, this
is an understandably sought-after spot.
6BELLS YEW GREEN ROAD, FRANT TN3AVERAGE HOUSE VALUE
1,837,000There have been only three property sales in the last 16
years on this road, which leads from Frant to its namesake village.
With a choice of two pretty villages to visit and Frant railway
station nearby, this road would be a good choice for a commuter
looking for a rural retreat.
7 HOLMEWOOD RIDGE, LANGTON GREEN TN3AVERAGE HOUSE VALUE
1,624,000This road has seen a flurry of property sales in the last
two years, almost all of which have changed hands for well over
1million. Divided from the bulk of the village by the A264 Langton
Road, this street is only about half a mile from the independent
Holmewood House School.
8SELBOURNE PARK, FRANT TN3AVERAGE HOUSE VALUE 1,603,000Set in a
truly idyllic location on the fringe of the village, Sellbourne
Park is a circular cul-de-sac just a short walk from the High
Street. Its probably no coincidence that this address is just a
couple of hundred yards away from number six on our list, Bells Yew
Green Road.
9WADHURST ROAD, FRANT TN3AVERAGE HOUSE VALUE 1,517,000Frant
claims its third entry on our countdown with Wadhurst Road,
which
is further out than the others, to the south of the village.
With a music school and a stables on the same road, children who
are lucky enough to live here will not be short of hobbies.
10FLORANCE LANE, GROOMBRIDGE TN3AVERAGE HOUSE VALUE 1,506,000The
village of Groombridge, south west of Tunbridge Wells, rounds out
our top 10. This is another address where residents are keen to
stay there have been only three property sales in the last five
years. According to Zed Index estimates, those whove invested here
will have seen their propertys value increase significantly since
purchase.
-
Wednesday 13th January 2016
18 LETTERS
ITS odd that, given all the baiting that Greg Clark has put up
with recently about his undeclared position on Europe, I have to
read in the Daily Telegraph that he is an inner. Why can he not
simply come out and state the fact, or is this yet another example
of his ducking and diving, playing both ends off against the
middle: he wants his job on the front bench, but he does not want
to alienate his electorate. Well, now his master has released him
to follow his destiny, we must see how this fares with the
voters.Edward BakerHilbert Rd, Tun Wells
YOUR recent articles confirm my worst fears.The decision on
Heathrow or Gatwick expansion
has been deferred so that more consideration can be given to
environmental issues despite the Davies Commission giving a clear
and unanimous decision in favour of Heathrow.
At the same time the Government has not to ruled out Gatwick,
and Gatwick itself is making a last-ditched attempt to derail
expansion at Heathrow by spending vast sums of money campaigning
against Heathrow expansion, often making spurious statements.
What is lacking is a balanced and informed debate. The proposal
for Heathrow expansion has come under increasing scrutiny but there
has been no public debate on the increased air pollution and noise
from an expanded Gatwick where the increase in emissions and
aircraft noise would be just as great and where significant tracks
of the greenbelt would be built-over for the new runway and the
inevitable warehouses, light industry and car parks. And there has
been no promise of a night-flight ban.
Chief Executive of Gatwick, Stuart Wingate, also recently
announced that he expects traffic to reach a record 45 million
passengers within three years.
How will Gatwick cope with these extra flights? I can see
Gatwick arguing for an
increase in their quota of take-offs and landings regardless of
the eventual decision on an additional runway.
Readers should write to Greg Clark (at
[email protected]) who has been extraordinary reticent to
express a view and should support TWAANG (Tunbridge Wells
Anti-aircraft Action Group) by emailing [email protected]
FenwickCalverley Park, Tunbridge Wells
MANY of us living on the west side of Tunbridge Wells are
experiencing aircraft noise from early morning until late at night
- and at particular times of the day, namely 6.30am to 9.30am,
10.00 to 12.00 noon then again 15.30 to 19.30 and 21.00 to 23.30
planes overhead every 90 seconds. During the summer it makes
spending time outside unbearable and we are all dreading the
possibility of a second runway at Gatwick - although I believe this
will be foisted on us by politicians as they try to hold onto the
large numbers of voters in Greater London and its close
boroughs.
It seems such a shame that sense cannot prevail and knowing that
the people around Manston are up for expanding there, that the
powers that be cannot take up this proposal with greater enthusiasm
- it is close to the coast - therefore no flying over populated
areas and it has a suitable runway for larger aircraft.
With the power your paper holds in this area I do hope that you
can bring the local people upto date with all that could be done to
support less flights over us - this will help the downgrading of
this beautiful historic town and the surrounding villages.Carole
FreemanVia email
SO THE jolly holidays are over. This means all the students,
whove come home for Christmas, leaving town and heading back to
their mouldy
and leaky flats where they pretend to study.I, myself, am making
the four hour journey up to Sheffield so I always make sure I book
my ticket well in advance to avoid the ridiculous on-the-day
prices. However, even this process is not plagued with
absurdity.
In one case, the price for