News in brief 4 Maidstone Borough Council
Customer Service A new project will give customers greater involvement in Maidstone council’s services to ensure that their experience is the best it can be.
The council will research who its customers are, how they feel about its services and how it can improve that experience for them.
Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Cllr Eric Hotson, says: “We are doing the review to really get to the heart of what our customers need and want. The review will include a number of consultation activities and workshops that I would encourage people to get involved in if they get an opportunity.”
County Show
The Kent County Show has something for everyone, with spectacular arena displays, mouth-watering food, prize- winning livestock, a feast of flowers and the chance to fly with a Spitfire. Kent Showground, Detling - July 13, 14, and 15 from 8am to 6pm. Pre-booked tickets offer a significant discount: £17.50 for adults, which includes two free children’s tickets, £5 for additional children’s tickets and under fives go free. Pre-booked seniors and student tickets are £11. Tickets are available from
www.kentshowground.co.uk or the booking hotline 01622 633060.
Torch celebration screened live at Mote Park concert
Fireworks, special guests and a talent show are among the extras for those who watch Maidstone’s Olympic Torch Relay celebrations from Mote Park.
While the ‘official’ celebration event at Leeds Castle on the evening of Thursday 19 July was several times oversubscribed, the Mote Park extravaganza is set to prove just as exciting.
Maidstone’s community concert will feature a live link from Leeds Castle, allowing those attending to watch the cauldron lighting on a big screen.
In addition they will enjoy lots of other entertainment – all for free – and a firework display at the end of what promises to be a fantastic evening.
After the live screening of the Leeds Castle event, which starts at 5pm, the show will begin with a performance by the school choirs of Maidstone performing Traditional Values, a specially written piece by Orlando Gough.
Concert-goers will then be able to vote for their favourite acts as the town’s own Maidstone’s Got Talent competition takes to the
stage.The talent show will be followed by someone whose talent is already well known as local star Shaun Williamson, know to millions as the
Welcoming the torch to Maidstone
Maidstone residents have a unique chance to see the Olympic Torch Relay. It will arrive in the borough on Thursday July 19 but the best opportunity to see it will be the next morning.
Thursday night’s arrival at Harrietsham, on its way to Leeds Castle, will offer a very limited opportunity to see the torch during its ten-minute procession through the village. Access to Harrietsham will be by public transport only.
People are instead being invited to cheer the torch on its way when it leaves the next morning.
The torch will leave Mote Park at 6.42am and exit onto Mote Avenue, turning into Mote Road and then right onto Wat Tyler Way.
The route then turns left onto King Street before reaching the High Street, goes left onto Bishop’s Way, right onto Mill Street and right into the grounds of the Archbishop’s Palace.
The torchbearer will then board a replica royal barge to be rowed along the River Medway Maidstone Rowing Club. At James Whatman Way, where the torch will take to the road in ‘convoy’ mode, leaving Maidstone, just after 7.30am, on Royal Engineers Road along the A229 to Gillingham.
“I am sure that many thousands of people will take the opportunity to be part of this unique event,” said Maidstone’s Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services Cllr John A. Wilson.
“The torch route offers a variety of
great places to watch it from and I am sure it will be a great occasion that people will remember for years to come.”
Entertainment in the town centre will continue throughout the day in Jubilee Square outside the Town Hall.
Local samba band Bloco Fogo will wake the early morning crowd, while fire performers will add to the fun on the route through the town.
The rest of the day will feature more live music, maypole and morris dancers, Bhangra, Greek dancing, jugglers and stilt walkers. There will be face painting for children and the Medway Concert Band will end the celebrations.
hapless Barry from EastEnders but with more recent starring roles in many other shows, takes to the stage.
Next on the bill is the ultimate in seventies rock royalty Alvin Stardust, who is headlining what promises to be a great evening’s entertainment.
Organisers expect up to 10,000 people to enjoy a free evening’s celebration and have stressed that those attending should walk if possible or use public transport or park and ride in order to reach
Mote Park.
There will be no car parking on site, and while the aim is to create a party atmosphere, no alcohol will be allowed in Mote Park during the event. Under 14s must be accompanied by an adult.
“This looks set to be a great event and I am certain that the live video link to Mote Park will make it as exciting a place to be on the evening of 19 July as Leeds Castle itself,” said Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services Cllr John A. Wilson.
“We want people to have a good time and enjoy themselves, but I must stress that public transport is the only sensible way to travel on this occasion.”
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