Museum wins top design award


THE controversial £3m East Wing addition to Maidstone Museum has won its first offi- cial plaudit. The museum’s east wing is


one of two locations in Maid- stone and only five in Kent to have been granted the RIBA Downland Award for architec- tural excellence. Cllr Malcolm Greer, Maid-


stone’s cabinet member for eco- nomic and commercial development, said he was de- lighted with the news, which confirmed his belief in the building as an asset to the town. He said: “It is never easy to combine an old building with something new, but the RIBA award confirms our view that the architects came up with something special. “The real thrust of the build-


ing is to be found internally, but the copper-clad exterior has cer- tainly been a talking point and brought visitors to the town.” The diamond-patterned walls added to the Grade II listed building in St Faith’s Street raised more than an eyebrow when it was opened earlier this year. Cllr Richard Lusty, chairman


of planning, was one of the de- sign’s critics. His comment that the exterior


of the east wing would be “more appropriate on the GoldenMile


Pervert guilty


of child abuse A MAIDSTONE man has been jailed for three years after being found guilty of child sex abuse. Kevin Hunt (56),


of South Park Road, Maidstone, was convicted by Maidstone Crown Court of six counts of indecent assault against a child in New Ash Green, Longfield, be- tween 1980 and 1989. The victim came forward in February, 2011, but Hunt de- nied the allegations. The judge said Hunt’s behav-


iour was “a disgraceful course of conduct”. Praising the brav- ery of the victim, Judge Joy said Hunt had put her through an “utterly traumatic experience”. Det Con Naomi Moore said:


“This case highlights the impor- tance of reporting sexual abuse, no matter how long ago.” Hunt will have to sign the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.


Pub takeaway plan THE former Eagle pub, on the junction of Loose Road andOld Tovil Road, Maidstone, could be replaced with a hot food takeaway under new proposals. An application is for a take-


away unit with six parking spaces.Maidstone Council will decide on the proposal.


Visitor figures soar FIGURES just out reveal that for the first three months trading this year (April – June), the museum had almost 20,000 vis- itors and Junewas the best-evermonth for the number of visits. Museums and heritage manager Simon


Lace said: “I am expecting a total of 21,000 for the first quarter and we are on target to get around 85-90,000 in 2012/13. “In terms of visitor numbers, April’s fig-


ures were the best ever, May’s the third best and June will certainly be the best June ever.” The figures are 33% up on last year and


150% up on six years ago. Turnover in the shop is about 500% up on last year and room hire over 1,000% up on last year.


in Blackpool” was even pub- lished in Private Eye! However, according to RIBA,


the museumwas in terminal de- cline and in danger of closure and, with 13 changes in level, it did not comply with current regulations. On learning of the RIBA award from the Downs Mail, Cllr Lusty said: “Having been concerned at the outset, I am now extremely proud of it. It has turned out very satisfacto- rily. Maidstone has made great strides in recent years and much of the credit is due to the planning department under the leadership of Rob Jarman.”


A PIZZA franchise owner thought he had taken on a new worker, only to find hewas em- ploying the company boss. Mansour Gholami, who has


run the Pizza GoGo takeaway in Tonbridge Road,Maidstone, for five years, had no idea he was featuring in Channel 4’s Under- cover Boss programme. But company owner Fouad Haghighat was so impressed with the hard-workingMr Gho- lami and his son, Mohammed, that he sent the family on a hol-


A spokesman for RIBA said:


“The client and architects have tackled all these problems with enthusiasm and verve. The new ‘gold-clad’wings have provided substantial additional exhibi- tion space and a ‘window on the park’, advertising the mu- seum to passers-by in Brenchley Gardens.” Maidstone’smuseum and her-


itage manager Simon Lace and Cllr Greer, along with architects Hugh Broughton, received the award at a presentation dinner in Swindon last month. The museum is one of four


town projects which have been entered for the Kent Design


Pizza manager impresses boss


iday and arranged for Mr Gho- lami to work as an ambassador for the company. In the programme viewers


saw Mr Gholami showing his boss how to clean up the kitchen and sending him out delivering leaflets with 18-year- old Mohammed. Mr Gholami said he was shocked to discover he had been employing the company owner, but that business had been booming since the pro- gramme was aired.


Awards, the winners of which will be announced in the au- tumn. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) champions better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture and its members. The RIBA Downland Awards


are the RIBA regional awards made in the RIBA South region (Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Ox- fordshire) and in the RIBA South East region (Kent, Surrey, East andWest Sussex). The Turner Contemporary in Margate was one of 58 RIBA Award winners.


Bowls invitation CLARE Park Bowls Club must find new members or face the prospect of stopping home games from 2013. The club, based at the park in


Tonbridge Road, Maidstone, is down to 22 men and 16 ladies and needs new blood. Club chairman Colin Lester


urged people to give the sport a try. “You really can make a lot of friends,” he said. Clare Park was given to the people of Maidstone by Sir Ed- ward Sharp Bart in 1923 and celebrates its 90th anniversary during 2013. Anyone interested in joining


New


Maidstone Rotary President Doug


Baguley is installed by


outgoing president Jim


Boswell Double Rotary honour for Doug


ROTARY clubs have twice honoured Doug Baguley ofWesternRoad, Fant. First, Rotary District 1120 awarded him a Paul Harris Fellowship for his


work helping the movement on health and safety issues. Then his own Maidstone club installed him as newpresident at a dinner inWest Malling Golf Club. Doug, a clubmemberfor13years,was for seven years its highly respected secretary. Professionally he is a health and safety consultant.


To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330


the bowls club can email Colin at Clareparkbc@aol.com or 01622 717511


Car parking idea FIVE additional parking spaces may be established at the Nim- bus Enterprise Park, Liphook Way, Allington. Applicant R&B Star hopes to increase provision by widening the area to the side of Units 8 and 9. A small patio area for staff would be provided. Maid- stone Council will determine the application.


Barbers consent PETRE Mugurel Anton has been allowed to subdivide a shop to form a barbers shop at 7-8 Granada House, Lower Stone Street, Maidstone.


Town 27


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