Free venue offer COMMUNITY organisations are invited to apply for free use of Mote Hall at Maidstone Leisure Centre for events. Each year, five free lets are available for sporting or cul- tural events, provided that they would be unlikely to proceed without a free let and are es- sentially non-fundraising. The free let covers the cost of
hiring the hall – all other costs must be met by the event or- ganisers. To applyfor afreelet foran
event between April 2014 and March 2015, call Amanda Scott in the parks and leisure depart- ment on 01622 602647 or email her at amandascott@maid-
stone.gov.uk by Friday, January 31 next year.
Indecency claim POLICE are appealing for infor- mation after a report of inde- cent behaviour at a town bar. A young woman says the
man approached her in the ladies toilets at Lashings in Upper Stone Street and tried to touch her. A 27-year-old man was later arrested by police in connection with the offence and released on bail, pending further enquiries. Anyone with information can
call PC Mark Hickson on 01622 604130, quoting crime refer- ence YY/19750/13, or Kent Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Paul Smith turned his life around
Work starts on McDonald’s
CONTRACTORS are expected to startwork in De- cember on a new drive-thru McDonald’s restau- rant in the centre of Maidstone. The development – on the site of the former Re-
nault dealership, just across the bridge on the Tonbridge Road – is expected to take six months to complete. Work will also be carried out at the same time to widen Hart Street. McDonald’s says the diner, on the junction of
The Broadway and Barker Road, will create at least 65 full- and part-time jobs, and represents an investment of over £5 million in the local economy by the company. Maidstone Council officers using delegated powers approved the building proposal, which did not go before the planning committee. The approval wasmade the subject of a Section
106 agreement, which will see McDonald’s pay a contribution towards a county council traffic study of the Barker Road/The Broadway junction to see if traffic light improvements could help traffic flows. KCC also has plans for improve- ments to the gyratory system close to the site. A spokesman for McDonald’s said: “McDon-
ald’s will be providing a contribution, secured as part of the S106 Agreement for the development towards the council’s proposals. The level of con- tribution has been deemed appropriate to mitigate the impact of any additional McDonald’s traffic on the road network and is in addition to the work that McDonald’s will be undertaking to im- prove and widen Hart Street.” A spokesman for Maidstone Borough Council said the agreed contribution was £50,000.
Sight-impaired Paul wins award
A MAIDSTONE man has been awarded the Betty BettsAward 2013 by Kent Association for the Blind at its Sight Matters Exhibition. Paul Smith, from Senacre Wood,
was nominated by KAB’sMaidstone rehabilitation team. They witnessed Paul’s journey
from being depressed, self-doubting and despondent to a fulfilled, engag- ing father and husband, a confident and independent traveller, computer user, KAB advocate, volunteer and proactive co-initiator of a new,more dynamic activity-centred KAB club. The award is named after Betty Betts, whowas blind from childhood
and served on KAB’s board of trustees from 1988 until 2002, serv- ing as chair for five years. Those who remember her describe her as an inspirational individual who worked tirelessly to help and sup- port people with sight impairment. She was awarded an MBE for her services to KAB in the 2001 New Years honours. Nominees for the award are put forward for positive community en- gagement and representation, sup- porting their peers, personal development or raising awareness, advocacy and campaigning for peo- ple with sight impairment.
Visit Downs Mail’s website —
downsmail.co.uk
Town 25
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