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THE Kent County Show en- joyed fine weather and bumper crowds at the show- grounds in Detling. More than 80,000 visitors, over 3,000 up on last year, attended one of the county’s biggest events. Competitors, stallholders
and businesses came from across the country but had the usual big local presence. Among thosewere Jo
Shan, of Staplehurst, and Ken Shelton, of Aylesford, both pictured, who represented the Mid Kent Fuchsia Group. Ken said: “It has been awonderful show.” More pictures, see page 16
Bridging the gap to business prosperity
TRADERSand home owners in Snodland are heading for a bonanza with a new road bridge across the RiverMedway set to open withinweeks, bring- ing new prosperity to the town. That is the prediction of local busi-
ness people and councillorswhosay the route linking the A228 on the outskirts of the town and new homes on the opposite bank will mean an increase in business and house prices. The £19 million road bridge,
which is due to open in September, has been built by developer Tren- port, as the key to Peters Village, a 1,000 home new community on the east bank near Wouldham. With Snodland already feeling the benefit of a high-speed rail link, which started a year ago, business
people are looking forward to a trade boom when traffic starts flow- ing across the bridge. Among them is hairdresser Alex Mackintosh (pic- tured left) who opened his salon Alexander’s in the town’s High Street
seven
months ago be- cause of the antic- ipated influx of
shoppers and commuters. He said: “I was managing a bar- ber’s in Tonbridge but I wanted to
start my own business. The bridge was one of the main reasons I chose Snodland to open a barber’s. It’s an expanding and up and coming area. There are lots of new houses going up all around the area, and once they finish the bridge, I think a lot of people will come over from that side of the river because it will be very convenient for them. It will really put Snodland on the map.” After recently moving to Would-
ham with wife, Katie, Alex is also looking forward to the bridge open- ing to shorten his daily work commute.
8 Police to pulpit
01622 690290 YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY EXPERT
maidstone@martinco.com 23 Pudding Lane • Maidstone • Kent
AFORMERMetropolitan Police of- ficer is the new vicar at East Malling, Teston andWateringbury. Rev NickWilliams, who is married with two sons, will start in his new post in October and live in the vicarage in East Malling.
5 Kent’s Most Awarded Optician
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Inside this edition:
NEW building proposals for Malling are being drawn up as Ton- bridge and Malling Council works on its emerging Local Plan. See the four-page supplement by Malling Action Partnership, which supports people, businesses and events in the 11 parishes in the Malling area.
July 2016 No. 231 News
Better buses call
PARENTS are urging action to get better school bus services from Kings Hill and West Malling.
Phone boxes saved
VILLAGERS have come up with ways of retaining their red phone boxes.
An early Christmas
CHILD choristors in Mereworth are recording a CD of fes- tive songs in October.
Playground anger
KINGS Hill residents say they were misled about a planned new play area. 6
Petition against gym
AN outdoor gym in Leybourne has been dismissed as a waste of money. 12
Joe’s dash for cash
THE last pub in Ditton looks set for a new lease of life as an office block.
Obituaries Comment
28 32
34 Crime Reports 43
ROOF lead and copper were stolen from a house in Aylesford.
5 4 3
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