News
Hush Heath wins night-time battle
HUSH Heath Winery has won li- censing battles for widescale ex- tension of evening social activities and later off-sales at its premises in the heart of the countryside at Five Oak Lane, Staplehurst. Neighbours engaged a QC to present their objections to a meet- ing of the borough council’s licens- ing sub-committee. Currently the winery is permitted to hold ‘special events’ until midnight 12 times a year and off-sales until 5pm in winter and 6pm in summer. On- sales otherwise cease at 7pm each night.
Owner Mr Richard Balfour-Lynn
said he wants to hold ‘non-special events’ on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until 11pm - adding a potential 156 night-time events to the current 12. It also wants off-sales until 11pm
on Thursdays, Fridays and Satur- days through the year. Staplehurst Parish Council supported the
Hush Heath proposals, considered the winery was very important to the parish and had an excellent reputation. They pointed out many wineries in Kent offered such attractions. Residents are worried about
public nuisance and that night noise would carry across this flat land and were also worried about a substantial increase of traffic on narrow roads, especially danger- ous for cyclists and pedestrians on dark evenings. They said occasional evening use
would become routine and would be ‘a gross departure’ from the balance the licensing sub-com- mittee achieved a year ago. But the sub-committee agreed
the extra evening events could be held on Saturdays and Sundays (not Thursdays) for pre-booked customers with a maximum of 60 indoors only. Extended off-sales would be allowed only to those attending full table meals.
Police safety reviewed
A NATIONAL policing event about the improvement of officer and staff safety was held in Maidstone. Kent Police Chief Constable Alan Pughsley hosted the review, attended
by representatives from the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), at Kent Police College on Wednesday, September 2. The meeting resulted in 28 recommendations that have since been
agreed by chief constables from across the country. These include the de- velopment of a new national curriculum for safety training, and trials of new protective technology. Ch Con Pughsley said: “It is never acceptable for anyone to be assaulted
or harmed just for turning up to do their job. We’re concerned by the ris- ing numbers of assaults against officers and staff and have worked to make sure this review can quickly deliver improvements for them.” For more information visit
www.npcc.police.uk or
www.college.police.uk. Our picture shows (from left) the College of Policing’s uniformed polic-
ing faculty lead Richard Bennett, NPCC chair Martin Hewitt and Kent Po- lice Chief Constable Alan Pughsley.
downsmail.co.uk
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