News


Centre’s haul THE Mall Maidstone raised more than £11,000 for charity over Christmas. An impressive £7,700 was given


by shoppers using The Mall’s grotto andwrapping service. Pres- ents left on the Giving Tree were also delivered to The Christian Care Day Centre. Other charities to benefit in-


cluded Lily’s Little Legs, for five- year-old Lily-Mae Leadsham, from Ringlestone, Maidstone, who suf- fers from cerebral palsy and is un- able towalk independently. The Carol Factor contest raised another £2,835.07.


Heroin arrest MAIDSTONEman PeterMills has been arrested on suspicion of sup- plying heroin after police seized drugs suspected to have been pre- pared for 28 street deals. Policewere patrolling the Boxley


Road area of the county town on December 11 when they recog- nised known drug users congre- gating outside a property. Mills (42) of Boxley Road,was ar-


rested and onDecember 12 and ap- peared


before Maidstone


Magistrates’ Court charged with possessing heroin with intent to supply. He was remanded until a later date.


Townhallflood MAIDSTONE’S town hall suffered a flood in its basement shortly be- fore Christmas. A rising water table was blamed


for the influx,which had to be con- tinuously pumpedwhile the prob- lemwas assessed by experts. Damage was first noticed to the


Maidstone BoroughCouncil build- ing in the town centre when water started to accumulate in the base- ment around December 16 or 17.


Bank expands THE Kent Reliance bank has ex- panded with a larger branch in Maidstone. The Chatham-based company


has opened an outlet in the High Street, a short distance fromits for- mer premises. Themove is part of a programme


of investment into its branch net- work at a time when other banks are shutting offices, it claims.


Lions on street ASTREET collection byMaidstone Lions at Christmas raised £564 for local charities. The Lions recently gave Alling-


ton Primary School 138 hi-vis vests – worth £400 – to help with walk- ing safety.


4 Maidstone February 2018


downsmail.co.uk


Ivy hoping The Voice can start a new Paige


SHEmay be a shadowof her former self, but thinking big has gotMaid- stone’s Ivy Paige to heights others only dreamof. Still gratefully curvy at a trim


size 8, the newest star of ITV’s The Voice UKwas once a hefty size 20. The burlesque 5ft 5ins performer,


26, says that after being heavy in her teens and early 20s, only a fas- cination to get fit saw her finally shed the pounds, liftingweights to create her new, sexy shape. She said: “I’mstill burly; I’ve still


got a bottom and thighs and love eating chocolate, but I was happy sized 20 and I amhappy at size 8. “Everyone should feel happy


when they look in the mirror - it’s about empowerment.” It is this positive approach, from


a woman who describes herself as “tenacious and determined”, that saw her win over judge OllyMurs (pictured) to steal a place on his team, grab national headlines and captivate 5.6mviewers. The compere of the Friday night


burlesque show at Mu Mu’s in Week Street, said: “I do like to leave an impression - it’swhat I do! “I seduced Olly with my voice


before we even met and it’s my voice that I want to take me for- ward; I’min it towin it. “It was like a whirlwind – you


THE owners of a popular pub which hosts local bands in the town insist that it will retain its livemusic provi- sion once it reopens after a £900,000 refit. Fears ShepherdNeame’s plans for


Earls will mean a change in musical style have been allayed by the brew- ery,who say itwants to retain its ex- isting clientele. The pub was bought by the Kent


brewery in July 2016, and shut its doors for the final time as Earls on January 12. When it reopens – which is ex-


pected to be in early April – the pub will have had what the brewery says is an “extensive internal and exter- nal redecoration” and will have an expanded food and drink menu. It will also revert to its previous name, theMarket House. Earls has beenwell-known forwel-


coming local rock and heavy metal bands playing both covers and orig- inalmaterial. A Shepherd Neame spokesman said: “Work will include expanding


the roof terrace and altering the floor layout to createmore space for customers.” Leon Burns, who runs the popular


Maidstone pub the Queen Anne with his partner Craig, said: “Since we had our refit,we’ve certainly suc- ceeded in bringing in different clien- tele. “We’ve gone back to being more of a community facility than just a


LGBT bar as it was before. “But you can’t just have a refit


and expect things to change – you have to put the work in. Pubs have changed so much, people want to go tomore upmarket places and you have to follow the trends. “For example, gin is massive now


andwe’re stocking 17 different gins, so we’re getting a reputation as a gin pub in the town.”


are only singing for 90 seconds. “I did feel very nervous before I


went on stage, but I could see my mum (Carol) out of the corner of my eye and this made me feel less nervous.” No stranger to the heady world


of entertaining, Ivy began singing professionally 10 years ago and will be performing in a one-off West End showonValentine’sDay. She said: “Even if things go


stratospheric, I will always be a Maidstone lass and I’mvery grate- ful tomymum,my supporters and Ciaran who has always supported my career.” Ciaran O’Quigley, the owner of


Mu Mu’s, said: “I really do wish her all the best.” As well as The Voice, Ivy will


shortly be starring in a BBC docu- mentary called From Burlesque Queen to Body Builder.


Music still on themenu after pub’s refurb


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