News Your views on


rural transport THE public are invited to give their views on plans to re-shape the way rural public transport is delivered. The provision, management and


funding of this link will be exam- ined at publicmeetings acrossKent. Over the last 30 years, KCC has


funded some rural routes which, while not commercially viable, have been considered important to meet the needs of communities. KCC cabinet member for trans-


port,MikeWhiting, says the county council’s aim is to maintain and, where possible, improve rural ac- cessibility. It has launched its Big Conversa-


tion programme to explore oppor- tunities for rural transport services; the possible integration of existing transport with the commercial net- work; and using technology to transformaccess to the service. CllrWhiting said: “Wewould like


residents, parish councils, andoper- ators to offer ideas.We’ll thenwork with transport and technology providers to look at howwe can de- velop rural transport.” The Maidstone public meeting


will be at in the lecture theatre at County Hall from7-9pmon Thurs- day, July 19.


downsmail.co.uk


EastEnders star to play Hazli’s big panto part


SOAP starRichardBlackwood has been named as the star of this year’s pantomime at the Hazlitt Theatre inMaidstone.. Richard (45),who has an impres-


sive range of talents as an actor, co- median and rapper, will be treading the boards in Maidstone fromDecember 1 to 31. He plays the genie inAladdin. In 2015, he joined the cast of


EastEnders as the mysterious Vin- cent Hubbard, but recently an- nounced hewas leaving the soap. Hazlitt general manager Martin


Cleverly said: “The Hazlitt The- atre’s 2018 programme is full of bigger and better productions in comparison to years gone by, so it couldn't let things slipwhen it came to the celebrity of its in-house pan- tomime. “Richard Blackwood will be a


fantastic member of the cast and part of a production that promises to entertain, delight and wow the visiting crowds.” TheHazlitt faced competition last


Christmas from another panto being staged in the county town. Last year’sCinderella production


– which starred TV chef and na- tional favourite Rustie Lee – was hailed a success, despite another production being staged close by at another venue inMaidstone. A Hazlitt spokesman said: “Richard is a bit of a coup for us and


judging by the reaction so far, it is going down verywell. “He has been around for quite a


while, is a talentedguy andhasdone a lot of different things in his career, so his following is quitewide.We’re hoping that his wide appeal across all age ranges will make him a big drawfor local people. “He is, by all accounts a likeable


and easy-going kind of guy, so he’s perfect for a family audience. “We’re very excitedandwe’llhave


other announcements tomake as the summer progresses. “We’re hoping that this year’s


panto can build on the success of Cinderella, which was very well re- ceived.” Meanwhile, the PeterAndre show


has sold out. Talks are being held in an effort to


arrange an additional date for the singer inMaidstone after tickets for his appearance in June sold out. The Hazlitt says consideration is


being giventopotentiallyputting on another showinOctober.


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