News
Surprise as park cafe bans dogs
FRUSTRATION over a ban on dogs at Cobtree Park’s café has been expressed by those who be- lieve Maidstone Council is miss- ing a trick by making the diner out of bounds to hounds.
One owner, from Stockbury, was stunned to find that after a walk in the park with her dog that her pet was banned from the diner, which meant she and her husband re- turned home for lunch. Sue Sellens said: “We’d had a
lovely time at the park, which looks brilliant. We had a great walk around and were ready for a cup of tea and a bite to eat. So we were sur- prised to learn from other dog walkers that the council has im- posed a ban on dogs in the cafe. It seems it is shooting itself in the foot by opening a new cafe, which it needs to be used, and banning one of its key user groups.”
available.
A designated area for smokers is A spokesman for Maidstone
Council said: “The cafe has a five- star food hygiene rating and does not allow dogs inside, except guide dogs. “We will be adding tie-points out- side so that owners can leave their dogs outside while they enjoy their refreshments in the cafe. There are benches outside where anyone can enjoy a drink or a meal.”
Mrs Sellens added: “In a setting like this the council should at least give it a go and if it presents more problems than they could cope with, then I’m sure we’d under- stand; but currently it’s as daft as a rural pub banning people wearing walking boots.”
Professional dog walker Tracy Hawkes, from Snodland, said: “Dog thefts are so common there is no way I would leave my dog tied up outside. For hygiene’s sake a separate area could be created and if top-end restaurants up and down the country can do it, I see no rea- son why the council can’t either.”
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Christopher Biggins (centre), incoming chairman of Cobtree Manor Trust Roger Hext (left), and Maidstone mayor Daniel Moriarty meet some of the youngsters using the play area at the park
Biggins guest at opening
LARGER-than-life TV personality Christopher Biggins has opened the final stage of the £1.2m make-over at Cobtree Manor Park. Saying he was pleased to be
away from London, he described the park as “a fantastic community facility”, and a fitting tribute to the park’s former owner, Sir Garrard Tyr- whitt-Drake. “It was his wish that this should
be used for the benefit of the peo- ple of Maidstone, and that dream has become a reality,” he said. He paid tribute to the 12-times
mayor, saying he had done more for the community than any other Maidstone person. He thanked the trust for oversee- ing the transformation of the park and its £300,000 donation for the cafe.
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