downsmail.co.uk Bins target for


the fly tippers FLYTIPPERS have dumped piles of rubbish next to recycling bins at Sta- tion Lane, Hollingbourne. The parish council said it had received reports about the mess including wood and builder’s rubble, along with morewaste left at Ringlestone, and had asked Maidstone Council to take action. The recycling area is on Network Rail land next to the Wealden Homes development. The site has been the focus of a long-run- ning dispute between Maidstone Council and the parish council for the last three years over who is re- sponsible for clearing it up.


Charity cycle


CYCLISTS are invited to join a fun 20-mile cycle in Lenham to raise money for the victims of cancer. The Lenham Fun Cycle Ride was started by roofer Dave Flisher (61), from Beacon Road, five years ago. The event on Sunday, June 26, will


raise money for the Heart of Kent Hospice that cared for Dave’s work colleague Richard Ring, from Harri- etsham, until his death in December last year, aged 31. The ride leaves Lenham Square at


10am and returns to the social club in the High Street for a barbecue and raffle. For details email janet- flisher@googlemail.com.


News


Hollingbourne’s store is at risk as trader retires


HOLLINGBOURNE’S last re- maining general store faces an un- certain future after village shopkeeper Christopher Rudgard announced his retirement. Mr Rudgard (pictured) has run Christopher’s Shop in Eyhorne Street for 12 years, selling newspa- pers and food seven days a week and providing post office facilities on Wednesdays. But the popular 75-year-old says that 2016 has not been good for him or the shop, leading to his decision to retire after Christmas. Unless someone takes over, the


store will close early in 2017, leav- ing villagers having to travel five miles to the nearest shops in Bearsted. Mr Rudgard said that by announcing his intention nowthere was time for anyone who was in- terested to come forward or per- haps a community shop could be set up. A well-known figure in the vil-


lage, Mr Rudgard said he had made the decision after health is- sues due to “the increasing effects of ageing” and because the shop had also had a bad few months,


cause, being younger, they order groceries online and get their news- papers via a tablet. “The effect of this, and the fact


with turnover down by 20% year on year. He blamed dwindling sales on


the decline in smoking and news- paper readership and the changing population of the village. “Sales of newspapers to cus- tomers who have died or left the village in the last 12 months were over £6,000 a year and almost all these customers bought other items,” he said. “The newcomers to the village do


not use the shop as much as their predecessors did, no doubt be-


that I amspending more on staff as I become less able to do long stints in the shop, is that the shop is now losing too much money for me to continue running it as a ‘hobby’. “After considerable thought and discussion with family and friends, I have decided that I will continue until after Christmas, but that in the first quarter of 2017, the shop will close unless someone takes over.” Mr Rudgard said his assistant,


Shula Lee, was considering if she wanted to take it on. Owner of the property, Paul Teague, said the rent for the shop would stay at £100 per week for the forseeable future. The shop celebrated its 10th an-


niversary in 2014 with a fortnight of special events and last year, Mr Rudgard featured as Mr February in the village’s charity calendar. Hollingbourne Parish Council


said it planned to consider the fu- ture of the shop at its next meeting in the Cardwell Pavilion at 7.30pm on June 13.


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