News


downsmail.co.uk ‘No plan’ as restaurant shuts


AMUCH-loved curry house in Coxheath has shut its doors. The Spice Lounge served its last meal on June 29, after almost 13 years of business.


At its height, the restaurant and


takeaway – which earned a 4 star rating on Tripadvisor – served 100 diners on a Saturday night. In fact, the building in Heath Road was extended in 2010 tomeet demand. Owner Anhar Ali said: “With


the residential developments in Coxheath, the general expectation would be that demand for the restaurantwould remain strong. "Unfortunately, in the last two


years, patterns and spending habits seemto have changed,with a general decline in the use of the restaurant.More so in the first half of 2019, use of the restaurant for dining in, is very poor. “There is an overall decline in


the restaurant use, with an in- creased demand for takeaway service. The Spice Lounge site is too large just to operate a take- away service. The building has high operating costs, and is not vi- able any longer to operate as a


Purle refuses mole inquiry


A BOROUGH councillor has re- fused to be interviewed as part of an internal


investigation into


media leaks toDownsMail. LiberalDemocrat-ledMaidstone


Borough Council is furious after details of a 2,500-5,000 house de- velopment plan in Lenham were published following a secret com- mittee discussion on it onMay 22. Nowthe authority’s legal bosses


are arranging interviewswith staff andelectedmemberspresent at the closed session to find the “mole”. ConservativeCllr JonathanPurle


( Bridgeward) said: “To be honest, I don’t see this is the most appro- priateway for taxpayers’money to be spent or a good use of the coun- cil’s time.” MBClegal chief Patricia Narebor


told members an investigation would be undertaken “regarding the releaseof exempt informationto the Downs Mail that was... dis- cussed at the committee. The inves- tigation will involve members of P&R,visitingmembersandofficers.” She later told DownsMail: “It’s


an internal operational issue so I would not like to discuss it with theDownsMail at themoment.” Full story, page 22


4 Maidstone Weald July 2019 Mike Angell congratulates new chairman Ann Allen Ann is newKCCchair


ANN Allen is the new chairman of Kent County Council. She takes on the role from Cllr


Mike Angell. He toldDownsMail: “It has been


my privilege to serve and I will al- ways be thankful for the opportu- nity.” Mr Angell raised more than


£4,500 for the Samaritans during his year in office. Mrs Allen,MBE, – a retired cater-


ing officer forDartfordHospital and a former foster carer – was elected to KCC in 1997. She chairs the cor-


porate parenting panel and is also the council’s learning disability champion. With this in mind, she will be raisingmoney for the Young Lives Foundation, based in Maid- stone. GrahamGibbenswill be standing


down as cabinetmember for Adult Social Care and Public Health to serve as her vice-chairman. The adult social care and public health portfolio,which includes residential andhome careandsupport forpeo- plewith learning disabilities,will be taken on by Clair Bell.


“I think people are really sad-


dened about the closure because for some it’s the last place in the village they can socialise. “There are twomain issues here.


The first one is that if the owner does not want the business any- more thenwe cannot force themto keep it, but on the other hand, we have to decide if turning it into a block of flats is themost appropri- ate outcome for the future.” Other options for the future of


Anhar Ali closes up the Spice Lounge for the final time


restaurant.” Citing difficult trading condi-


tions, Mr Ali said an outstanding planning application to turn the site into a complex of homes for the over 55s is still in theworks. Borough Councillor Lottie


Parfitt-Reid said: “I knowthe pub- lic is extremely disappointed be- cause I have been in there on a Monday night and it’s been ab- solutely heaving with a buzzing atmosphere. The local people re- ally enjoy it, tableswere full.”


the building include using the garage extension as a takeaway and selling the actual restaurant to another business. Another possi- bility is to demolish the building. Mr Ali added: “Nothing is 100


per cent set in stone, but I have been approached by a feworgani- sations, including families who want to run their own restaurant here.” Final decisions are expected to bemade by the end of July.


Cycle shop


closes doors VILLAGERS in Headcorn have said goodbye toWoods the cycle shop. After more than 35 years in


business, the store inNorth Street – which had been served by gen- erations of the same family – is closing due to retirement. Comments about the store’s


helpful staff and memories from those of buying their first bike there, and, later, for their chil- dren, were being shared on the final day’s trading. Village


councillor Martin


Round said: “This has been a wonderful business that had val- ued service in the community. Personally, I benefited, and my bike is better for it. I’llmiss it.”


Calling time


BTHAS refused requests to repair the red phone box at Church Green, says Staplehurst Parish Council. Instead, the telecoms giant is to launch a consultation into decommissioning it. The parish council says vil-


lagers keen to send feedback, should email BT’s customer serv- ice team at customer.serv.pay- phones@bt.com.


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