Villagers Urged to Fight Bank Closure
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downsmail.co.uk MaidstoneMaidstone EastEast EditionEdition Maidstone & Malling’s No. 1 newspaper FREE January 2017 No. 237 News Store collection raises £4,000 Save our village shop KINDHEARTED customers at Tesco Grove Green A RESCUE plan is needed if have raised more than £4,000 for charity. Hollingbourne’s village store is to Maidstone Riverside Rotary members were survive once the owner 4 joined by saxophonist and tutor Clive Frewer and retires. some of his students, who played Christmas songs during the club’s annual collection at the Hospice needs help store. The money will go to local good causes as well THE Heart of Kent Hospice faces as emergency disaster relief charity ShelterBox. job cuts after suffering a 5 Club president Steve Elms said: “We are very drop in funding. pleased that we have been able to help several local charities and also ShelterBox. Also a big Tory ejection claim thank you to the generous people of Maidstone.” A COUNCILLOR says he was ejected from a Ramblin’ Man meeting. 10 Church makeover Villagers urged to BOXLEY Church gets an £82,000 refurbishment and the clock has a facelift. 14 fight bank closure Leeds road closures BANNED HGVs are blamed after A PETITION has been launched against the planned closure of the road is closed by burst NatWest Bank branch in Bearsted. water pipes. 14 The Bearsted and Thurnham Soci- tion by NatWest to use the post of- and Mid Kent, has written to ety hopes a significant proportion of fice next door for paying in and NatWest CEO, Ross Maxwell McE- MP’s M20 campaign the area’s 8,000 residents will back withdrawals. wan to express disappointment at MP Helen Whately is pressing for the campaign to save the branch. In her letter she states: “The alter- the loss of the branch. a new M20 surface to The petition can be signed in Tay- native paying-in and withdrawal The NatWest branch in Staple- reduce noise levels. 20 lor’s newsagents on the Parade. service mentioned ... is all very well hurst, shut after a ram raid in the Comment 34 The society has already received but this post office counter is already summer, will not re-open. Other the support of MP Helen Whately very busy with queues being the branches that have been shut are and Bearsted Parish Council. norm, and there is no guarantee that Marden, Coxheath, Lenham, Snod- Obituaries 36 Mary Richards, the society secre- this service will continue.” land and Headcorn.47 tary, wrote to the bank complaining The society has been banking at A bank spokesman blamed falling Parish Councils 46-47 of a “flagrant disregard for cus- NatWest in Bearsted for 30 years. transactions – Bearsted by 33% tomers’ needs”. Mrs Richards said that not every- –while online and phone banking Work on the war memorial at With the recent closure of the one was willing to bank online and had risen by 54%. Harrietsham would cost £8,000; Lenham branch, there is no NatWest wondered how the NatWest offer of The closure of the branch at Lenham, neighbours of the between Ashford and Maidstone. a visiting “community banker” prompted a heated response from Ham Lane playpark had com- The nearest branch, without going could work in practice. Thurnham Parish council. plained about older youths using into town, is on the Sutton Road. She added: “This branch offers a Members said the decision had the equipment at night and caus- Mrs Richards said the elderly and good, personal and friendly service. been made in spite of it being a busy ing a nuisance; flytipping prob- those who do not drive will be “se- In short, it is a valuable community branch. They urged residents to lems in the Chegworth road area verely disadvantaged”. asset. We urge you to reconsider.” write to NatWest and make their were reported at Ulcombe. She poured scorn on the sugges- Helen Whately, MP for Faversham feelings known. Crime Reports 47 Pub takeover A SUSPECT smashed the glass in BEARSTED’s Oak on The Green a patio door and ransacked the and the Fish on the Green, have property in The Landway, been bought by Kent brewer Shep- Bearsted, before stealing a num- BEST WISHES FOR 201 herd Neame. The venues belong to ber of items; parts were removed - a chain of five pub restaurants sold from a vehicle in Honey Lane, for £11.85m by owners Alex Otham; animals were attacked and Helen Bensley. 6 and injured at a farm in Lenham. New Menu now being Mercure Maidstone Great Danes Hotel served SPECIAL EVENTS Soak up the atmosphere in our contemporary 27th Jan '17 – Allo 'allo comedy dining experience restaurant at Mercure Maidstone Great Danes Hotel. Choose from a diverse collection of mouth-watering 29th Jan '17 – Dreamboats and petticoats tribute lunch dishes prepared using fresh ingredients and locally- CALL TO BOOK A TABLE. VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR sourced produce. Finally, indulge in one of our FORTHCOMING EVENTS delicious desserts before sitting back, relaxing and www.mercuremaidstone.co.uk allowing our experienced and helpful restaurant team TEL: 0844 815 9045 Hollingbourne, Nr Maidstone, Kent ME17 1RE to provide you with everything you need. [email protected] ¡ PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING DETAILS: Sunday Lunch Name ........................................................................................ Email address ............................................................................ Please tick if you do not wish to receive any 2 DINE FOR £25 information about future events at the hotel. with Terms & Conditions: a table must be booked in advance. Includes a 2 course meal (main course and either a starter or dessert). Maximum of one voucher 2 courses from our this per reservation. Voucher to be given to your waiter on arrival. No photocopies accepted. Voucher valid until 31st January 2017). Sunday Lunch set menu voucher Cash value 0.00001p. OUR REPUTATION SPEAKS FOR ITSELF windows : doors : conservatories Sorry no buy one get one free. No 70% off list price Just the keenest prices around www.southernglassmaidstone.co.uk NEW SHOWROOM NOW OPEN Mon to Fri 8am - 5pm, Sat 9am - 1pm 1a Brunswick Street East Maidstone ME15 7UX WE DO NOT employ pushy salesmen on commission. WE DO employ our own fitters. WE DO insure all our guarantees for peace of mind. WE DO give prices over the phone. 01622 686732 2 Maidstone East January 2017 downsmail.co.uk News Cricket stories Driver demolishes wall A 34-YEAR-OLD motorist has been charged with fail- ing to stop after allegedly appeal to fans knocking down this garden wall in Bearsted. KENT’S association with cricket is Mr Lambert recalls how the suffra- The owner of the house in almost as long the game’s history. gette movement burnt down the Copsewood Way, Terence And few sports have had more cricket pavilion in Tunbridge Wells Lee, told Downs Mail the car books written on them than cricket. for excluding women. ploughed through his wall, Now another one, At Odds With A member said ladies were indeed completely demolishing it, Authority, written welcomed into the clubhouse – to at just after 8pm one by Bearsted’s Ian make the tea. evening. Lambert has cap- Mr Lambert said: “I don’t write Police say a man from tured in one place books for the money – I do it for the Bearsted was later arrested short stories, vi- fun and because it’s interesting. and has since been charged gnettes, jokes and “At Odds With Authority is a col- with a further offence of fail- recollections lection of light-hearted short stories ing to provide a specimen about the Kent of varying lengths which have a for analysis. game. Kent element to them. It’s not meant He has been bailed to at- The author – a to be an expose.” tend Maidstone Magis- fine club opening batsman with The book helps chart how the trates’ Court on January 6. Bearsted in his day – drew on county game was once played at sources far and wide for his material. eight or more towns in the season Mr Lambert, of Roseacre Lane, in- but is now just two or three. cludes the story of the former Kent It is not the first time that Mr Lam- Village panto Bluebell walk batsman-turned umpire Arthur bert has written a sporting book, TICKETS for The Pied Piper of WALKERS have been given a date Fagg who refused to retake the field having previously charted the highs Hamelin are on sale at the village by the Woodland Trust for their at Edgbaston after being on the end and lows of Bearsted Football Club. store in Hollingbourne. diaries this spring at the Hucking of abuse from West Indies captain He played a few games with the The panto, from Wednesday, Estate. Rohan Kanhai in 1973. Maidstone United reserves when the February 8 to Saturday, February A Bluebell Trail will be set out It followed a decision not to give club was based in London Road. 11, with performances at 7.45pm from Saturday, April 8 to Sunday, Geoffrey Boycott out and, subse- “A History of Bearsted Football and also at 2.15pm on Saturday is May 14. There is no charge and quently, for commentator John Ar- Club” charted the progress of the being held in the village hall. parking is free. Follow the sign- lott to observe wryly that "Arthur club since its formation in 1895. The tickets are on sale at Christo- posts for Hucking and St Mar- Fagg is better than none". At Odds With Authority is avail- pher’s Village Shop in Eyhorne garet’s Church after turning off Former chartered civil engineer able to buy on Amazon for £14.99 Street.