Councillor Pope not infallible.

Councillor Pope is the leader of the Alliance Party on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. The main policy of the party is to stop the building of a theatre and civic centre on part of the Calverley grounds.  At a recent meeting of the council the council  leader quoted Cllr Pope  as stating at a meeting of the Town Forum that the proposed location close to the railway station seemed to be a good idea.

Cllr Pope did not attend the council meeting as he has an indirect pecuniary interest (his wife owns a flat near to the site on which it is proposed to build).

Cllr Pope went into orbit accusing the leader of the council of fabrication and demanded an apology.  He urged his twitter followers to complain.  Now Cllr Pope has admitted he did make the statement quoted by the leader of the council.  Silly man.  Check facts before opening mouth,

See:  https://www.timeslocalnews.co.uk/tunbridge-wells-news/anti-calverley-square-councillor-admits-he-was-in-favour-of-theatre?fbclid=IwAR1TE6U9zOBnLqCKS_fcdOjJLOhJMptVSomoc8dZebk0jakpFlED7nLil5s

Tunbridge Wells Retail

When the Royal Victoria Place opened people commented favourably about the wide walkways and general airiness of the place.   Wander through shopping malls in Maidstone and Eastbourne and you are greeted by low ceilings and no natural light.  Soon the rot set in. Additional floor space was created on the first floor by covering over the space between walkways and, even worse, retail spaces created on the walkways.  The original ambiance has been lost to be replaced by a seediness as one is accosted by salespeople at the  stalls (only a few of them but a few too many).

Possibly it would not have mattered had retail habits not changed - but they have.  Over 16% of retail sales take place over the internet.  Big stores are closing nationwide at an alarming rate and RVP  has not been immune.  Woolworths and BHS have gone.  Traffic congestion and car-parking charges have not helped.

The industrial estate in Tunbridge Wells has been turned into a retail and leisure estate syphoning off trade from the town centre.

The improvements to RVP proposed by the new owners look mostly cosmetic and even where they are not are unlikely to do other than slow down the trend away from town centre shopping.

This is the quandary facing Tunbridge Wells, how to arrest the decline in footfall.  The answer in part may be to establish additional activities and facilities for entertainment and leisure.  What is needed is something new and exciting, not patching up existing second-rate facilities.

There are many issues to be tackled but so far none of our opposition councillors nor armchair critics has come up with a coherent set of specific proposals although they have been long on meaningless hand-wringing drivel.

Red Lion Rusthall

Since the new tenant took over the Red Lion on a long lease from the brewery the establishment has gone from strength to strength.  The pub receives excellent reviews  for its food and entertainment. Moreover there are no complaints about noise levels and unruly customers exiting the premises.  Well done, keep up the excellent work.

Tunbridge Wells Theatre and Civic Centre Proposals Debate.

Reactionary forces are at large in Tunbridge Wells opposing the council's plans to replace the Assembly Hall and Town Hall with new buildings which will take up about 3% of a park close to the railway station, taxi ranks and bus stops.  A planning inspector has approved compulsory purchases and in his report effectively demolished the asinine arguments of the scheme's opponents - a motley crew of political has-beens, political wannabees and people with little comprehension of the distinction between revenue and capital expenditure,  Poor reasons for not supporting the proposals, along with totally unrealistic ideas as to what can or should be done makes one despair, well almost.

The town will continue its downward spiral as a sub-regional shopping, leisure and business centre, suffocated by the aspic brigade with little understanding of the realities of the modern retail world and the needs of business.  On the entertainment front the need is for modern facilities, not a patched up inferior, second-class offering.

The majority group on the council has lost its way, fearful of electoral defeat, whilst the motley collection of opposition councillors see their chance for power.  In all this the needs of the town are being ignored as an insidious negative group-think takes hold.