Run a mile for Olympics


MEN and women from all over Maidstone are being invited to walk, run, cycle and swim as part of the town’s Olympic flame festivities. A “Maidstone Mile” evening


fun run for all ages will take place on July 20, starting and finishing in the High Street. Anyone can take part, running for their own particular cause or charity, on a route that takes in Week Street, St Faith’s Street, Fairmeadow and the High Street.


Competent swimmers can


CELEBRITY chef Richard Phillips, whosecompany isapartnerat The Hengist, Aylesford, has closed his award-winning restaurant at Chapel Down Vineyard, near Ten- terden. The venuewas run for four years


on a tenancy basis by Mr Phillips’ company Kentish Dining Rooms (KDR). It said that Ashford Coun- cil’s restrictions on thewedding li- cence was a key factor in the difficult decision. KDR also runs Thackeray’s, Tun-


bridge Wells, and is a partner in Pearson’s Arms at Whitstable. The vineyard company said the


restaurant would re-open with a newpartner orwouldberunby the vineyard itself.


Richard Phillips has closed his restaurant at Chapel Down Vineyard


take part in a “MaidstoneMile” open river swim from the Arch- bishop’s Palace to Tovil, starting at 7pm. To mark the passing of the Olympic torch, both Maidstone and Tonbridge and Malling Councils have joined forces to arrange the first Maidstone Triathlon on Sunday, June 24. This will comprise a 400m


swim in Leybourne Lake, a 21km cycle to Mote Park and a 5km run in the park, all for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Re- search.


Seventies pop star Alvin Star- dust will headline a concert at Leeds Castle on the evening of Thursday, July 19, where the torch will spend the night after passing along the A20 and Har- rietsham. The next day, it will pass through Mote Park to the town centre via King Street and the High Street, then on to a royal barge at the Archbishop’s Palace to the landing stage near the new football stadium, where it will to go by car to Chatham and the Medway Towns.


Vineyard restaurant closed by celebrity chef


MP Helen Grant and Cllr John Wilson at the forum


MPs are among


forum speakers THERE was standing room only at the Maidstone Older Person’s Forum, at the Hazlitt Theatre, when members were joined by MPs Helen Grant and Tracey Crouch and local councillors, as well as speakers on the sub- jects of cancer and dementia. Kate Sergeant from the Alzheimer’s Society, Elizabeth Pilgrim from Guideposts Trust and Sue Scanlan from the In- victa Advocacy Network ex- plained the work they do in relation to dementia and how to go about getting help. Tracey Crouch, MP for Chatham and Aylesford, spoke about her work on the Com- mons all-party committee on dementia. From Marie Cure Cancer


Care, Amanda Mendzil spoke about the work of the cancer charity and Mrs Grant gave a talk on life as a new MP.


14 Malling


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