Author: Benjamin

Waterstones has returned to a closure-hit shopping centre six months after pulling out of the site.The book chain left Ashford’s County Square in June having occupied a spot next to Superdrug for more than a decade.Waterstones has now opened in the former River Island/Jobcentre unit in County Square, AshfordIts departure left many shoppers worried it would not seek a return to the town, with the company’s branch in Tenterden High Street the only one within a 10-mile radius.But the chain has now filled the former Jobcentre Plus and River Island unit two doors down in County Square.Like its previous unit,…

A new restaurant has opened at a market after its previous traders were forced to leave.Smoke Low and Slow has welcomed its first customers today (December 5) at Hatch, in Gravesend, replacing Pad Thai Live, which shut in September.Smoke Low and Slow has opened. Picture: Hatch MarketJamie Clark, who took over the running of the Gravesend Borough Market with Thomas Mudge in June, said: “It is quite exciting and I think lots of people will be pleased with it.“It is bringing something new to Gravesend. They are offering something that fits well with the market.“They have a big smoker smoking…

From family-friendly pantomimes to adult-only hilarity and live music performances, here’s what you can expect this Christmas season: Pantomime Magic: Sleeping Beauty Saturday, December 14, 2024 – Sunday, January 5 2025 Tickets from £27.00 The highlight of the festive season is the family pantomime Sleeping Beauty. This year’s production features an all-star cast, including Britain’s Got Talent winner Sydnie Christmas as Fairy Christmas and Olivier-nominated Cleve September (Hamilton) as the prince. Expect dazzling costumes, hilarious comedy, and magical moments for the whole family. Produced by the award-winning Imagine Theatre, the show also stars Lucy May Pollard (Matilda) as Beauty, Larissa…

A disgraced family GP who was previously convicted of sexual assault has been struck off the doctor’s register.Dr Sanjay Chatterjee from Larkfield was reported to police and the General Medical Council by a patient who accused him of sexual assault during an examination.Dr Sanjay Chatterjee from LarkfieldThe conduct in question took place in May 2021 at Aylesford Medical Centre.The patient told police he had inserted a medical implement inside her vagina without her consent during an examination for suspected haemorrhoids.A panel at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service said the examination was not clinically indicated or appropriate but found it had…

Staff were drug tested and sniffer dogs were deployed after a bag of suspected drugs was found at a nuclear power station.The package, believed to have contained powdered drugs thought to be cocaine, was discovered by a worker at Dungeness Power Station last month.A bag of suspected drugs was found at Dungeness power stationIt is understood to have been located inside a control room at the Romney Marsh facility on November 4.EDF Energy conducted an internal investigation, which has since ended, and the suspected drugs have been destroyed.A spokesman for the company, which owns and runs the site, said: “We…

A sacked HM Revenue and Customs officer who helped her husband launder £3.3million was caught after leasing an expensive Bentley car and enjoying lavish holidays.Kuldip Badesha used the taxman’s systems to produce letters including fake National Insurance numbers and signatures.Kuldip Badesha pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office. Picture: HMRCThe 46-year-old then handed the details to her partner Ranbir Singh who opened two of 85 bank accounts with them and then used them to launder money between 2015 and 2018.The former compliance officer, of Cockpit Pilot’s View, Chatham, met Singh, 46, before he was jailed for 11 years for kidnap…

New drone images show the aftermath of the devastating fire at a former Debenhams where dozens of residents were evacuated.A second boy has now been arrested after crews were called to the Guildhall Street site in Canterbury at about 8.30pm on Monday.Debenhams in Canterbury in the aftermath of Monday’s fire. Picture: TheDroneMan.netAt its height, 50 firefighters were on hand to tackle the inferno at the empty department store, which led to the evacuation of 30 people from their flats, with one person requiring medical treatment.This afternoon police confirmed a second arrest has been made – this time a 15-year-old boy…

The new space would provide care for five young people in the borough as the cost of placements for the council reportedly grows. The proposal was approved by the authority’s executive committee at a meeting on November 27. The site of the new service has not been publicly revealed but council documents claim it is within the Chislehurst area and functioned as a private children’s home until eight months ago. Officers said that the authority decided to make a competitive offer for the property swiftly as it was already subject to an agreed sale to a private care home operator.…

A large parcel of land has exchanged hands to allow a “much-loved” primary school to expand and add hundreds of new places.Rosherville Church of England Academy recently won approval for its bid to move to a new site at the Cable Wharf Development in Northfleet.Plans to expand The Rosherville Church of England Academy in Northfleet, creating 280 additional school places, have advanced. Photo: KeepmoatA £10million expansion and relocation has been on the cards for decades and will see the school, which currently has around 140 youngsters aged four to 11 on the books, add an additional 280 school places.When the…

More than a quarter of jobs at a university could be slashed in a bid to save £20 million, KentOnline can reveal.Vice-chancellor Rama Thirunamachandran has told Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) staff about 80% of the savings will come from redundancies.Up to 400 jobs could be cut at Canterbury Christ Church UniversityKentOnline understands the move will put some 400 roles at risk – 26% of the institution’s 1,500-strong workforce.This website spoke to a member of staff today who said they were told about the redundancies during an online call with Prof Thirunamachandran this morning.“We were told a few months ago…