News Future of play
area in balance MAIDSTONE and Weald MP Helen Grant has taken up the fight to save the Cockpit play area in Marden. The MP has been in contact with Alison Broom, chief executive of Maidstone Council (MBC), to ex- press residents’ concerns at the pro- posed closure. The closure has been a hot topic
for more than two years, after MBC first produced its draft play area strategy, which designated the Cockpit play area as “non strategi- cally important”. The council held a public consul-
tation on the future of its play areas, as a result of which it re- structured its strategy, but resi- dents were told the Cockpit would close unless someone else offered to take it over. Marden parish council already manages the other main play area in the village – on the playing fields – and says it cannot afford to take on a second. The Cockpit is still open, despite
the threats, but Cllr Steve McLoughlin has been advised that the equipment will shortly be dis- mantled. Marden Children’s Centre has lobbied the MP, who is hoping for an 11th hour rethink.
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People’s votes vital for survival of post office
ARURAL post office under threat of closure hopes towin a reprieve if its customers vote it the “most valued” store in Kent. Yalding Post Office, at the junc-
tion of the High Street and Lees Road, was a runner-up in last year’s contest, beaten by a branch near Charing. Postmaster Tim Chapman and
his wife, June, are hoping everyone will pull out all the stops this year and vote for Yalding – to prove to Post Office management what an important service their business provides. The Chapmans’ store is a much-
loved hub of the community, where Tim sells bread and cakes, cards and stationery, locally-grown fruit and vegetables – and a host of other goods. He currently receives a govern-
ment subsidy to provide the post office service to the village. However, under the Post Office network transformation program- me, the business will need to be self-sufficient in future if itwants to stay in its present premises.
Yalding postmaster Tim Chapman is looking to local residents to help save their post office
The alternative is for the post of-
fice to operate from within the nearby Orchard View mini-market or another local business. The Post Office believes that cus- tomers across theUKare benefiting from its new, modern approach – although villagers are less inclined
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6 Maidstone South July 2016
to agree. A spokesman said: “Cus- tomers are responding positively to longer opening hours, brighter en- vironments and open plan coun- ters.” Mr Chapman said: “Post offices
have no option but to change the way they operate.However,we are too small to carry on aswe are if the subsidy is withdrawn. “Whatever happens, I will want
to retire in five years’ time, at which point the existing contract will not be renewed and Yalding will lose its post office.” In the meantime, the postmaster
hopes his supporters will give the business one last vote of confidence – by making it the Kent People’s Choice. You can vote by filling in a voting
slip in the post office or log on to
www.kentruralretailers.co.uk.
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