What HAS happened to the Tonbridge Insider????

Okay what has happened to The Tonbridge Insider Magazine? I get asked this question at least five times every day. Let me start by saying that, although I write for the publication (or did at least) I don't own it, or have shares in it. My only link to it is that I write on a freelance basis for it. But it is something of a mystery as to what's going on. The new owners, Leafleteers Ltd. who used to distribute The Insider for the old owners and then took it over, have only published one issue. I was flattered enough to be asked by John Dickerson, who owns Leefleteers, to continue writing for the publication. My column was featured in their first issue (December 2011) and then I wrote a further two columns in order to meet the Jan and Feb 2012 issue deadlines. The February issue didn't appear and then neither did March. Of course, by this time, my suspicions had been aroused and I didn't write any more. Needless to say I haven't been paid for those, approximately, 30 hours of work. I am bothered about that but I'm alot more bothered about the apparent loss of what used to be a half decent magazine. I did once consider putting in an offer to buy it myself because I think the town of Tonbridge needs a voice, especially after the Courier left the town a couple of years ago. That was the first time in about 140 years that Tonbridge didn't have a dedicated newspaper office. So I say publicly to John Dickerson, who took over the Tonbridge Insider declaring a relaunch and a new start for the magazine, even if your business is in dire straits: tell us all what's going on, don't keep all those readers in the dark. You owe us and me at least that much....

Are Tonbridge Bloggers Opinion Formers?...

For those of you who've asked the audience of TonbridgeBlog, according to Google blooger figures, is a fairly steady 7 to 9,000 most months and sometimes jumping as high as 13,000. It's not quite Facebook or YouTube but it ain't bad for a local blog with very few funds behind it written, on the whole, by one ever so slightly quirky fella. That audience, I know from previous experience, will be a highly sought after, fairly afluent one. If I had my ad sales hat on I'd say that it was probably in the main an ABC1 highly targetted, Tonbridge centric audience, with a tendency to buy locally. Mostly they're probably either older people with high disposable incomes or else middle income earners, feeling a little squeezed at the moment due to government austerity measures but still with high potential spending power. And yes there are, most likely, many local "opinion formers" among them. The more a think about it the Tonbridge Blog audience is quite an attractive, distinguished one in all probability. That said I won't be going out on the streets with a questionaire on a clip board doing awareness studies!...

Should TonbridgeBlog charge for ads?...

I few people have reacted rather negatively to the idea of TonbridgeBlog charging for putting links in the Useful Links and Blogs column on the left of this page. Let me reassure those social clubs and organisations on there already that they won't suddenly get a bill for twenty quid a month. No, not at all. But there have been many commercial organisations over the past few years who have wanted a link on here and a few have been prepared to stump that sort of dosh for it. After all what's wrong with it? The issue is whether the integrity of the editorial content is maintained and, since I'm mostly in control of that, I would ensure that it is. Let's face it most successful magazines, newspapers, TV stations and, for that matter, web sites simply wouldn't survive in the long term without having an income of some kind. Granted TonbridgeBlog was not set up as a commercial site, and some say that that is the essence of it, but the balance will be kept right have no fear. The google ads which have been on the site for about two years now caused a similar stir when they first went up but nowadays no one complains.You might even say they compliment the look of the blog. There will be a few companies and organisations who will benefit from the highly targetted, locally focussed audience which TonbridgeBlog offers but the rest of you just won't even notice them doing it....

Tonbridge Blog Working for Tonbridge Businesses....

Sorry to go all commercial on you but this is a bit of an opportunity for some. You can now pay for your links in the left column of Tonbridge Blog by Paypal simply by clicking on the button above the Useful Links and Blogs Heading. This will take you through to a screen where you'll be asked to pay a monthly subscription and will ensure that your company or club link will always be there. Having this link will obviously allow people of Tonbridge and visitors to TBlog, and there are literally hundreds every day, to go straight through to your own site. With the absence of any local magazine (Yeah, what has happened to that Tonbridge Insider Magazine?) as things stand this could be a very useful and low cost business tool. Give it a try for 12 months and watch how it makes a difference to your organisation. There have been quite a few local businesses keen to try it without being prompted so I've decided to make it easier to subscribe. There now was that commercial enough?!..

 

Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon winner....

One thing worth pointing out about the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon is that, probably due to its generous sponsorship and the toughness of the hills, it attracts some top athletes. The winner, Ethiopian Yared Hailesallassie Hagos, probably entered because there was a course record to be beaten. The prize, £250 and a load of sports clothing and footwear, for winning would probably just have been worth his trip from the North East but add to that the checque he picked up for £1,000 for smashing the course record and you can see why he put in the extra effort. Not a bad days work really if you've got the talent which this young man clearly has in abundance. According to his profile he comes from a very poor background in Addis Ababa and is an inspiration to runners from East Africa to give them a route out of poverty. A few years ago he could probably not have even afforded a pair of running shoes, let alone some 2XU compression socks and Mammoth Sport Mattress, so good luck to him!...

Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon last Sunday....

Came in with a half decent time in the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon and, on the whole, enjoyed the day. Here's what I've just posted on Runner's World web site and it is meant as well intentioned criticism:

" Overall the day was very enjoyable and those hills, even though expected/dreaded, were worse than I thought they'd be. Marshalling seemed spot on, atmosphere a little clubby but maybe that's to be expected. Should I really complain about lack of goody bag and Kelly Holmes not staying at the finish line past the 2 hour mark? Maybe I should just have been a bit quicker than my pedestrian 2:14! Actually yes I think complaints on this are justified. After all without the slower runners, who are mostly beginners in need of encouragement, there'd be no race except an elitist clubby event which made no money. Without the back markers the generous prizes (£1,000) for course record breaking runs, however justified, just wouldn't be feasible. It's the popularity of the event which attracts the sponsors and the top runners. You knew how many had entered the race so next year TWHM organisers please, please recognise that you need the 2 to 3 hour runners more than we need you. Give us a medal from Dame Kelly and the goody bag we've earned. Failing that at least a bottle of water at the end!"

Having said all that I am very pleased to have taken part and it's given me the appetite do enter the Paddock Wood Half on April 1st and the Tonbridge Half on September 25th. I may even spend some of my hard earned cash on a GPS sports watch, so that I know how far and how fast I'm going in training, and those barefoot running shoes I've been eyeing up. You can see mine and many other competitors comments here if you're interested. Although I recognise that, just because I've caught the running bug doesn't mean that everyone has. I'll continue to bore you all to death for a good few weeks yet though don't you worry!...

Lucky escape for Peacocks in Tonbridge....

I hear that Peacocks in Tonbridge is to remain open. This must come as a heck of a relief for those employed by the chain. I understand from BBC news reports that around 230 stores in other towns up and down the country weren't so fortunate as new owners, Edinburgh Woollen Mills, decided to close them down with immediate effect. That's the harsh reality of the High Street retail business at the moment....

A History of The Slade....

Jacquie Wyatt, who lives in The Slade, is putting together a history and would welcome all your contributions about the area. They could be eye witness accounts of events or incidents, they could be recollections and happy memories of general street life. Better still if you have documents or photos. What ever they are get in touch. For those of you who don't know it The Slade area of Tonbridge isn't just the street called The Slade. No, just to confuse people, the whole area from Tonbridge School running track to Bank Street and up to the Rugby Club is known as the Slade. It's even marked on the map from the year 1280 above. But what does it mean?? Answers on a postcard please (actually in comments will do!) It will be very interesting to see what everyone comes up with and I look forward to stocking the book exclusively in Mr. Books shop! I'd like to include the actual poster for Jacquie's request but have given up trying to get the right format. So here's the most essential bit: how to contact her:

Call Jacquie Wyatt on 01732 770457, email jacquiewyatt@yahoo.co.uk or you can drop written memories through the door at

13 Havelock Road

.

Beales and Shop Closures....

The Tonbridge reporter at the Courier has been on to me about my TonbridgeBlog post regarding Beales. You may recall that someone claiming to be the Chief Executive Officer of the department store chain posted a comment below the article on Tonbridge shop closures recently. (Scroll down to view.) He wanted to set the record straight that, after a group strategic review, Beales in Tonbridge is definitely staying open for the forseeable future. Let's hope that means at least another ten years. Shams, at the KSC, being more thorough than me and indeed a proper journalist, unlike T Blog, has checked this out and verified that it was indeed the man himself who left the comment having seen it pop up on his Google alerts. (Now there's a true professional for you!) The local paper is to run a story on the subject with quotes from him and yours truely this Friday. I can hardly wait!...

National Speed Awareness Course: Famous People....

During yesterday's Nat Speed Awareness course in Oakwood Park House, Maidstone they made a point of asking us to switch off mobile phones and remove them from sight. The reason being that, in the past, participants on the course have monkeyed around by secretly videoing the sessions and later posting them on YouTube and other social network sites. Well I can assure you there were no monkeys on my course, although there might have been at least one gorilla! But were there any famous people? Would I be in breach of confidentiality if I told you that a certain Top Gear presenter may have been present? Well I don't recall signing anything! I'd better check just in case though....

Speed Awareness: Your Powers of Observation and Quick thinking....

If you think you are observant then watch this YouTube clip. The idea is to test your skill in watching how many times the basketball players just in the white shirts pass the ball to each other. A pass could be a bounced pass or a straight pass in the air. Song long as it reaches the other player. So watch closely and count the total number of passes. It's pretty simple really but a good test of how quick your eyes are. I learnt this on the National Speed Awareness course which I attended yesterday in Maidstone. More about that later, in the meantime do the test....

Plus Seven....

Well it's amazing how, in the space of a week, the temperature in Tonbridge has gone from minus to plus 7 degrees C. I bet those poor old crocus and daffodil bulbs don't know whether they're coming or going. Do they sprout now or do they wait a few weeks? Either way the green shoots are starting to appear everywhere and spring is just a little way off. Soon we'll all be gazing at the Castle grounds in full bloom, walking through bluebell woods and dreaming of lazy hazy summer days. In the meantime, back to reality. I'll be out pounding the streets and footpaths once again tomorrow for what will be my last training session before the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon next Sunday. I'm really looking forward to it but also dreading it as it's only my second ever run of that distance and, quite frankly, I don't think my body was built to run such distances. In the Tonbridge Half Marathon last September my aim was simply to get around the course without stopping running. I like to think that I've improved quite a bit since then so my target this time is to get around the hilly course in around 2 hours and 15 minutes. Any better than that I would be delighted. 2 hours or less and I'll be skipping home with glee. And speaking of speed some time ago I accepted a very kind invitation from Sussex Police to attend one of their Speed Awareness courses which has come round all too quickly and is in fact early next week. So they'll be teaching me to slow down and my running training will be making me speed up! I'm not sure I'll be able to cope with all that!...

Cream Crackered....

With less than two weeks to go before the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon, which I was mad enough to enter in a moment of lunacy just after Christmas, I think I may have overdone the training last weekend. I managed to fit an 8 miler in on Sunday, going out into Leigh and then onto Powder Mills and off road back into Tonbridge. Then yesterday I pounded the streets again going up to Bidborouh Ridge once more and down Vauxhall Lane and back into town. The second run, being the day after the first, was particluarly hard work up that Quarry Hill stretch so I felt like I'd really earned the long down hill stretch back home. My times have been steadily improving and I've managed to avoid heart attacks so far! But, to tell you the honest truth, today after biking to work, I'm feeling right cream crackered! I was glad to get to my desk and was actually hoping for a slow moring in the shop so that I could just relax. With it being half term and all that didn't happen, in fact it was quite busy so I've had to get up out of my chair on more than one occasion to help customers in search of the perfect book to read over the holidays. Although I'm looking forward to the T Wells Half I won't half be glad when it's over so that I can have a couple of weeks of putting my feet up. Knowing me though I'll probably enter the Paddock Wood Half which is in April. But at least that'll be flatter and I won't have to train up and down so many hills....

Millets to survive?...

...And on the subject of shop closures or non-closures, as the case may be, TonbridgeBlog also understands that Millets is staying open although there's some doubt as to whether it will stay a Millets outdoor shop our turn into a JD Sports (that's the group which took them over) or morph into something in the middle of the two (MD Sportletts?) Probably wouldn't be such a bad thing actually in Tonbridge to be able to buy some well cool Addidas trainers while you're browsing the waterproof wallets and walking socks. Could liven up a very tired brand. But then what do I know?!..

Good News on Beales....

Just thought that the record should be set straight on Beales shop closure which, if it did close, would have by far the biggest impact on Tonbridge than the others mentioned in a previous post (scroll down.) If it genuinely is the Chief Executive of Beales who's left this comment, because sometimes you just never know in the blogosphere, the it appears to confirm that they are staying open despite the rumours to the contrary. Let's hope so....

"I can assure everyone that we have no plans to close Beales in fact we are working to put even more brands in and hope to have a childrens department ready for Christmas, so please keep coming in and spending as it is a sure way of making the store a sucess. Tony Brown CEO Beales Department stores"

Minus Seven in Tonbridge!...

It's not often that the river is frozen in Tonbridge but it was last night and this morning under the bridge and by the Castle. This happened last year for quite a long spell during that cold period we had in January, as I recall, so maybe it'll become a regular thing. Older people are always telling me how cold the winters used to be in their youth but I'd say that they were never any colder than last night's temperature of -7. That's not quite cold store temperatures but it's cold enough to get those Russian hats out from the back of the closet. Mind you things could be worse. According to a news report the other day it was so cold in parts of Yorkshire and Cumbria that the rain was freezing immediately on hitting the ground making driving not just dangerous but just impossible. Make the most of it as it'll be spring before we know it....

A snowy walk in the woods....

I took a long walk in the snow the other day risking life and limb to bring you these pictures. I love it when you're just strolling along and then you see families out sledging making the most of the few short days opportunity for such wintery activities. I was merely an observer as I ambled my down Lamb's Bank, up Vauxhall Lane, over Southborough Common and out through the woods to the Wealdway and along to Bidborough. I must have looked, as my dad used to say, a cut up right, (which is Yorkshire speak for a real odd sight) in my ski sweater, ski hat and carrying an old wooden walking crook. But I was enjoying myself so much I just didn't care. The snow brings out the child in all of us. I scrambled down Bidborough Ridge on the footpath leading to Brook Street and Haysden. It's years since I went all the way down there and it looked fabulously picturesque in all its glistening whiteness....

Finch House in Tonbridge....

I poked my head into the new Tonbridge coffee place, Finch House, this morning and have to say that I was quite impressed. It reminded me a little of Carluccio's in Tunbridge Wells, with it's very light, airey interior and spacious seating arrangement. Also it has a shop area selling, what it calls, fine foods which are mainly locally produced groceries. Some of the items do seem a tad on the expensive side, I must say, so let's hope that enough people support the enterprise. Here's a thought: you don't think that they might have got Tonbridge mixed up with Tunbridge Wells before they opened do you?! An easy enough mistake to make for an outsider. No surely not, that just wouldn't happen, would it? and there certainly seemed to be quite a few people sitting in there sipping their coffee for an average Thursday morning so good luck to them. I'll be back there when I have a bit more time for a latte or two. Think they should extend the deli area and start selling quality ground coffee as well. But then what do I know?!..

RIP Bareface. Long live Stray Dogs....

The shock news in Tonbridge today is that punkish band, Bareface, have split up. I did wonder because the noise coming out of the semi derelict building where the band practices has definitely changed. They sound an altogther nicer band like they all have nice short haircuts and the young ladies could take them home to meet their parents. Whether that's a good image for a band is a different matter. Said Tom, the founding band member and guitarist, "The band decided that we all wanted to go in different directions and we'd taken Bareface as far as we could go." Sounds like a rock and rolly kind of statement to me Tom. Don't worry though because, despite having a new singer, part of the band lives on in the newly formed, worryingly named, Stray Dogs! I haven't learned many of their tunes yet but I've got a feeling that I will over the coming weeks if the experience with their predecessors was anything to go by! Catch up with the band on You Tube clips here to use their own venacular They're sick an' stuff. Whatever that means!...

Ten Days of "The Arts" in June....

Many people in Tonbridge won't know that there's to be an art festival in the town this summer. Well there is and, judging by the meeting I attended last night, there's a heck of alot of work being put into it and some right treats in store for anyone with even a passing interest in the arts. By "The Arts" what I mean in a nutshell is Visual (paintings, photos and that,) Literary (books, reading, poetry and what not,) and performing arts (dancing, singing, music and all that caper.) This is not going to be some stuffy high brow affair but something which should involve every person in the whole of Tonbridge (and let's not forget the rest of the borough.) So keep you eyes on the web site where soon you'll have a list of events which you can put in your diaries and start looking forward to ten days in June....

Tonbridge Shop Closures....

I don't want to start rumours but it seems that the recession is to bite Tonbridge High Street alot harder, in fact quite dramatically, over the next few months. It is only hearsay, I feel I should add, but it seems that we are soon to see a number of shop closures. Perhaps the most devastating will be Beales department store next to Sainsbury's, which sells clothes,luggage, nice kitchen equipment, gifts, you name it. Then there'll be Millets, whose parent group went into administration recently and have been bought out by JD Sports group who will be rationalizing their store locations. Then we'll more than likely see the closures of Peacocks and possibly QS, the two cut price clothing stores who are also in trouble. On the plus side I notice that there's a Cash Your Cheques Here-type shop just about to open where Bishop's green grocers used to sit. So maybe it won't be long before the High Street will be lined with new shops afterall: Cash Converters, Cash For Gold, charity shops, pawn shops etc etc. Let's hope my dark predictions don't come true....

Tonbridge HAS Talent....

Tonight is Tonbridge Has Talent being held at Tonbridge School. I will mostly be doing a poor impression of Simon Cowell (without the £millions of course!) The acts will range from juggling and dancing to singing and comedy with everything in between. Being on the judging panel is a task not to be taken lightly. The performers have the chance to literally change their lives in two minutes. Oh no that's Britain's Got Talent! Never mind, they still have the chance to make the audience happy and feel entertained and that, in itself, is reason enough. I'm looking forward to it and to seeing some of the real talent that exists in Tonbridge. It's the fourth year that I've accepted the invitation to be on the panel and every year I'm amazed at the sheer quality and variety of the finalists. I'll try to put a link up to the video of the night over the next few days so look out for that....

Phwaorrr you seen page 3 today?!..

On page 3 of The Telegraph today there's probably a juicy story about a vicar having an affair with the treasurer of the Parish Council in some Gloucestershire village, there often is. In the Courier they frequently  run fairly light hearted stories on page 3. So what's wrong with a bit of titilation? Nothing? Well how about The Sun's page 3 with Zoe from Brighton's "assets" on display for the whole family to gaze at? The paper has been at it since 1970 and today Dominic Mohan, editor of the good old Currant Bun, is being recalled to the Leveson inquiry to answer probing questions about the practice. He will have to answer questions like is putting gratuitous pictures of young women's naked breasts appropriate in a modern British society. Are they offensive and degrading to women? What do you all think of it. Inappropriate, should be banned from papers like the Sun, Star and Sport, or just a harmless bit of fun? Would it be alright to feature them on Tonbridge Blog on a daily basis for instance? Where would you draw the line?...

Dame Kelly Fitness Range....

Speaking of running half marathons I see that Tonbridge's very own Dame Kelly Holmes has brought out a new range of fitness products. Well I suppose it was inevitable wasn't it. You can't blame her for cashing in on her success though can you and who'd begrudge her it, especially since she's a great one for supporting local and good causes. The products, so far as I can see, are exclusively available at Tesco and range from medicine balls and skipping ropes to weights belts and cross training machines. The prices seem very reasonable actually, as you might imagine from Tesco, and, since I'm a bit prone to leg injuries myself, I do like the look of that Reusable Gel Wrap. You put it in the freezer or microwave and strap it to the injured area. Only £6 in the sale and beats getting the bag of frozen peas out!...

Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon looming....

It's getting rather close to the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon which I've been crazy enough to enter. I find that entering races gives me a goal to aim for and prevents me from using pathetic excuses for not training. You know like, I had a late night. Or I couldn't sleep or I don't really feel like going out this morning or I might be coming down with a cold. Pathetic excuses all of them! Yes having a lung busting event like this one to look forward to really does focus the mind. I've been running up to Bidborough Ridge from the bottom of Quarry Hill as many times a week as I can fit in (which, admittedly is usually only twice) for quite a while now. The reason for this is that I'm told that there's a particularly nasty little hill from Penshurst to Fordcombe so I don't want to be caught out and use the pathetic excuse of not having done any hill training when I knew I'd need to now do I? Trouble is that since the Tonbridge Half last September the furthest I've ran in one session is about 7 miles. So there's still work to be done. It's simply a matter of getting some road (and trail) miles in over the next three weeks or so and, injuries permitting, I should peak at exactly the right... damn I think I may have strained a calf muscle moving my chair back!...