New theatre ‘Great Expectations’
THE hoary old subject of a magnificent big riverside theatre for Maidstone has surfaced again. We have been there before, several times, and as much as many of us would love to see it happen, public funds will not pay for the capital build and se- rious ongoing financial support will not come from our council tax. I recall about 10 years ago adding Downs
Mail to the list of supporters for a new the- atre and spoke of my dreams of watching great shows there and enjoying an interval drink on a balcony overlooking a much- improved River Medway scene. So I know all about that fantasy. But working closely as a journalist with Maidstone Council, understanding much better the challenge of local authority budgeting and spending and talking to councillors and officers who shouldered heavy responsibility, the hard truths very soon dawned. A large theatre would cost many mil-
lions of pounds to build. Where would that come from? There were very few money pots around a decade ago, and even fewer today as we come through years of recession. Just supposing a fairy godmother comes
A SUNCAMP six-berth trailer tent was stolen from the drive- way of a home in Forest Hill, Tovil. A silver Volvo S40, registra-
tion number X767 GGC, was stolen from a dedicated parking area in Regent Close. Two laptop computers and a Canon camera were stolen from a vehicle parked in Plains Av- enue, Shepway. A sat nav was stolen from a
silver Vivaro van parked in Downs View Road, Penenden Heath.
Intruders entered a home in Moncktons Avenue, Ringle- stone, but it is not known what was taken. A dark brown ceramic pot
with light brown stripes was stolen from the front garden of a house in Ernest Drive, Alling- ton. A green GT Interceptor BMX
bike was stolen from a shed in Larking Drive, Allington. Intruders broke in to a home
in London Road and stole a tel- evision. Cash, foreign currency and a handbag were stolen from a home in BowerMount Road. Intruders got in to Lloyds Pharmacy, in Tonbridge Road, but it is not yet knownwhatwas stolen. Ablue Honda motorcycle, reg- istration number CPW 887Y, was stolen from Bower Lane. Four tyres were stolen from a
Peugeot 207 parked in Lower Fant Road. Tools and a vehicle jack were
stolen from a garage in Keswick Drive, Allington. ASamsung computer and var- ious bags and clothing were
42 Town MailMarks
DENNIS FOWLE - President email:
dfowle2011@aol.com
along and finds the money to build it for us and gifts it to our town. What chance does Maidstone have of running a big and exciting programme of shows and events and covering costs? The experts told me then the answer was
“no chance”. For very many years the Ha- zlitt Theatre has served us well and is rel- atively inexpensive to run, but every year we taxpayers had to pay a substantial sub- sidy.We are relieved of that now, as coun- cil policy is to hand over the operation to a private company. Could a good marketing operation change all that? I do not think so. Two ex- cellent provincial theatres are within easy reach at Bromley and Canterbury, and Lon- don’s West End is about an hour away by train. I, too, had “Great Expectations” but they turned out to be “Much Ado About Noth- ing”.
Booming Maidstone IF high streets are having a very
tough time just now with the re- cession and online competition, then surely Maidstone bucks the trend. I am not much of a charity shop customer, but when I needed something as unusual as an old school bell, I thought I would cash
in on Maidstone’s reputation as a centre for such shops. So I hunted Week Street, Earl Street, King Street and really strug- gled. It was not until I reached close to the end of Union Street that the bell rang. It was not easy to find an empty shop in
town. True, businesses come and go. But they seem to keep coming to Maidstone, and that says much for our town centre. It seems landlords have been reducing
town centre rents in the face of recent harsh realities, and this has attracted smaller independent businesses back to the town centre. I turned my mind to what is happening
or proposed at Eclipse Park (the new Next fashion store) and new shops at Newnham Court Shopping Village. I rather welcome it all – but I have reservations on the im- pact on the town centre. I hope and think both can flourish. Itwill not be good news for the town centre if I am wrong.
Beat the criminals IF YOU CAN HELP, PLEASE PHONE: Police: 101 Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111
stolen from a Fiat Coupe parked in Canning Street. The suspects were three white men. A blue Yamaha motorcycle, registration number W695 RCG, was stolen from outside a property in Farleigh Hill, Tovil. A sat nav system
was stolen from a grey Lexus parked on a driveway in Rich- mondWay. Power tools were
stolen from a black VW Transporter in a car park in The Stampers, Tovil. Cash and a GPS navigation system were stolen from a red Audi A4 parked on the driveway of a home in Highland Road. Thieves got into a home in
York Road and stole jewellery and photographic equipment. A torch was stolen from a sil-
ver VW Jetta parked on the driveway of a home in Greyfri- ars Close. Intruders got on to a building
site in Gladstone Road and stolen three digger buckets. Thieves got in to the garage of
a home in Astor Park and stole a quantity of alcohol. The wing mirror housing was
stolen from a silver BMWin the car park of MidKent College in Oakwood Park, Tonbridge Road. A black and green Avigo cycle
was stolen from a leisure park in Coombe Road.
A silver Honda Civic, registra-
tion number V521 OKE, was stolen from Brunswick Street East.
The radio was stolen from a red Vauxhall Corsa parked inWaterloo Street. A lady’s Specialized bicycle with a red and white frame was stolen from the bike storage area in Wallis Place. A uPVC door frame
and window frame with
glass containing a red rose deco- ration were stolen from outside a property in Somerset Road, Shepway. A home in Sevington Park,
Loose, was damaged in an at- tempted burglary. An Acer computer, a Toshiba colour television, Samsung mo- bile phone, cash and other items were stolen from a property in Hayle Road. A Trek bike was stolen from a
garage in AllingtonWay, Alling- ton.
There was an attempted bur-
glary at a garage in Knowle Road. A Trek cycle and a Raleigh
cycle were stolen from the com- munal area inWallis Place, Hart Street. The radio was stolen from a
Ford Fiesta in Western Road, Fant. The number plate was stolen
You can e-mail the Downs Mail —
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from a Ford Fiesta parked in Somerset Road, Shepway. A television was stolen from a home in Brewer Street. A red and silver mountain bike was stolen from the car park at Ragstone Lodge, Peel Street, and the padlock and chain were damaged. Two Whyte mountains bikes, one white and one black, and a Giant time trial bike were stolen from the garage of a home in Braunstone Drive, Allington. There was a burglary attempt at a house in Freshland Road. Computer equipment and cig- arettes were stolen from a home in Tonbridge Road.
A silver Mercedes E220, regis- tration number NL59 XNX, was stolen from Chamberlain Av- enue.
A red Halfords tool box and tools were stolen from the garage in the garden of a prop- erty in Terminus Road. A bath, cistern, tools and other items, including electrical equipment, were stolen from a property undergoing renovation in Hastings Road.
A black Audi, registration number BK08 PHF, was stolen from Milton Street, Fant.
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