Pub wins appeal to keep car park hardstanding


A PUB on Bearsted Green haswon its battle with Maidstone Council to retain hard- standing for use as car parking. In January last year, the borough’s en- forcement team issued a notice ordering The Oak On The Green to remove the hard- surfacing on the grounds of noise and sus- tainability. The council also regarded the hardsurfacing as an “inefficient” use of land.


However, this has now been overturned


on appeal by planning inspector AlanWool- nough, who reported: “It is highly likely that, rather than resort to public transport or go elsewhere, most customers of the pub- lic house and restaurant who prefer to drive


Ron Hillier RON Hillier (78) lived for 45 years on the Madgingford es- tate. He worked


in London for most of his life. After retiring in 1997, he could often be seen walking a round Bearsted vil- lage and local shops, talking to everyone he met on the way. Walking, football and music


were Ron’s passion. Ron leaves widow Rose, to whom he was married for 55 years, his daughters Sue and Donna, grandchildren Luke and Sarah, son-in-law Roger and Luke's wife Jane. Roger said: “He was a lovely


man, kind and a true gentle- man. He adored his family.”


George Everton GEORGE Everton (88), most-re- cently of Bodsham Crescent, Bearsted, grew up locally and rose through the ranks of the UK car industry to become a di- rector of the Chrysler car com- pany in Coventry. This followed years working


at Tilling-Stevens in St Peter’s Street, Maidstone, where George had started as awartime apprentice and worked his way up to become plant manager. Closure of the plant led to the move to Coventry. George met his wife-to-be


Peggy at a dance at Maidstone’s Star Hotel.


there would continue to do so if the en- forcement notice was upheld, and would park on-street if necessary. “A number of neighbouring residents,


while concerned about other aspects of the scheme, are supportive of the principle of enlarging the car park, having previously suffered persistent problems of inconven- ience and obstruction as a result of careless on-street parking and unauthorised use of private parking areas. “Such representations cannot be dis- missed lightly. They are indicative of a par- ticular demand for parking facilities generated by a popular venue for car-borne clientele.


We will remember The couple raised children


Clive and Christine and lived for almost 25 years in Sutton Road. George returned to the local


area after retirement, and found time for a range of hobbies in- cluding bowls, dog-walking and gardening. Recalled by his friends and


family as a man who worked hard and dedicated himself to providing a good life for his family, George leaves his chil- dren, seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.


Charles Boulding CHARLES Ephraim Boulding (83) worked as a carpenter and rose through the ranks in con- struction to manage major proj- ects in Kent. Sissinghurst-born, he worked


in radio shops and had moved to London when called up to the RAF at the end of the war. After con- tracting pneu- monia he was nursed in Pem- bury by Babs, who became his wife. Charles retrained as a carpen-


ter and the couple spent their married life in Cranbrook, Shepway, Penenden Heath and Allington. They raised Sue, Peter, John and Chris. A heart condition leading to


Monumental Stonemasons Est. 1973


NAMM, BRAMM & NAMLC Registered New Memorials Tablets, Plaques & Vases


Cleaning, Renovation & Restoration Safety Inspections


Memorial Insurance Arranged Free Brochures


Telephone 01622 762482 28 East 01233 636500 01795 436178


2 Sutton Road Maidstone Kent ME15 9AH 68 Kent Avenue Ashford Kent TN24 8NQ


Howt Green Bobbing Sittingbourne Kent ME9 8QP


bypass surgery forced his re- tirement but Charles, Babs and son Chris established an airport taxi business which ran for 10 years. Widowed in 2006 after 58


years of marriage, Charles leaves his children, nine grand- children and seven great-grand- children.


Jack Skinner FORMER printer Jack Skinner (90), of Hope Street, Maidstone, was well-known from his years working for the Kent Messenger group and to his many friends at the Working Men’s Club in Brewer Street where he regu- larly enjoyed a game of snooker. He had served the club as pres- ident. His printing career included


time with the Kent Arms Print- ingWorks inWeek Street before spending 13 years with the KM. Married to Veronica, Jack was


father to Terence, Tony, John and Rosemary. Jack nursed his wife who died of cancer in 1992. He had travelled to Australia


where son Tony was working as a university lecturer and had been scheduled to visit the country again this year, when he was taken ill.


Betty Hurrell MAIDSTONE-born Betty Ellen Hurrell (83) who has died in New Zealand emigrated there in the 1970s. She was the widow of Philip Hurrell and mother to Claudia, Nicholas, Elizabeth, Michael and Gina.


Alf Shand ALF Shand had moved from East Farleigh to Harrietsham more than six years ago when Lenmead was built. For the past two years, since


his wife died, Alf became in- volved in the village and joined many organisations. He took part in whist drives,


the Len Valley Active Retire- ment Association, Harrietsham Gardening Society and the Short Mat Bowls Club. Alf had owned his own busi- ness, ACE Industrial Supplies,


“The additional hardsurfacing has helped


to address that demand and, on the evi- dence before me, has relieved kerbside pres- sure and alleviated annoyance and disturbance thus caused to the significant benefit of local residents. I conclude that the very limited adverse impact on sustain- able objectives that this development en- tails is far outweighed by those benefits, which justify a departure from the Devel- opment Plan and national policy.” The inspector also criticised the council’s


claim that the hardsurfacing constituted an inefficient use of land, adding: “It gives no indication of what sort of development po- tential it perceives.”


an engineering and catering firm which his son Richard now runs. He also leaves a daughter, Susan.


Danny Jenner DANNY Jenner (49) lived lo- cally his whole life, for the last 18 years in central Maidstone with


wife Sarah. Raised in


Shepway, he moved with his family to Weavering in 1977 and lived there before the estate was built. Sarah said: “We used to walk the dog over the fields where Tesco now stands.” The former Senacre pupil


was apprenticed as a bricklayer to Goodsell's and spent his working life bricklaying. He had worked all over Maidstone and surrounding areas and was able to point to many buildings and architecture that he had worked on. Sarah said: “He had lots of friends. He was very sociable, totally honest and able to talk to anyone. He loved football and had followed Maidstone United into the league and later around Kent.”


Danny was father to Laura


and Lucy. Sarah said: “His girls were everything to him; he was a brilliant father, who enjoyed being with his family. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.”


Ian Egglesden THE death has been announced in Brisbane, Australia, of for- mer Maidstone resident Ian Egglesden, 71.


The Stone Shop Memorials. Any natural stone supplied, lettered and installed anywhere. Inscriptions added to existing memorials Renovations and memorial cleaning


The Stone Shop Station Hill, East Farleigh, Kent.


01622 726633 You can e-mail the Downs Mail — info@downsmail.co.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48