Thursday, March 12, 2015

What's new in Tonbridge?

Topics for discussion:

New Tonbridge History book. The Historical Soc have pulled off a blinder!

Candy Inc sweet shop opened next to McDonalds. Good thing?

Café in old Moss Bros clothing shop next to Chequers Inn about to open. Good for North end of town?

The Town Team are in the news a lot with their loyalty scheme and views about the developments in the town. But do they speak for us all?

Millets probably relocating to card shop premises on corner of arcade. Thought they were closing altogether which would've been a shame or maybe an opportunity for some entrepreneur, whichever way you look at it.

Roundel Poetry night at Rose and Crown sells out again which says a lot about the power of poems. Or does it?

I've got a new bike and have discovered places around and about that I never knew existed....

Like I said. Discuss....


12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't forget The Coop Funerals have open and the MoneyShop is closing. Will the 99p shop close now that Poundland have taken over? And The multi storey station car park is open, £2.5 million of Dept of Transport money (us tax oayers, who will collect the annual £200k extra parking charges? Where will all those buses that replace trains park on a sunday? Looks like no one made a fuss about the High Street being reduces in width. On a typical day there are always deliveries and people stopping outside of banks, takeaways and shop at all times. We look forward to some big tailbacks. At least the government is trying to push through a bill enabling parkers to overstay by 10 mins without penalty. I guess the council will put up the parking charges to get the lost cash back.

Anonymous said...

Are we ever going to see all the comments people put about why the changes to the high street are not a good idea. Or are the council just going to ignore us.

And why are they spending so much money on the pavement on the opposite side of the road by waitrose. No one ever walks along there. Even the contractors doing it think it's a wsste of time and money and have had several people make that comment to them

Paul Bailey said...

None of the topics you list TB, inspire me with much confidence for the future of the town. The historical book about Tonbridge may be everything you say it is, but as a history book it is looking back at the past.

I’ve not got a problem with the new sweet shop, but I won’t be spending any money there. I would have preferred a decent, up-market chocolateur, although I see from their website that the American-inspired Candy Inc are offering a range of traditional British sweets, (acid drops, barley sugar, butterscotch, bull’s-eyes etc).

A new, independent café sounds good; anything to give the likes of Starbucks and Café Nero a run for their money!

Millets moving closer to the Angel Arcade will probably be good for them, but poetry at the Rose & Crown? Well, if it floats your boat then fine, but it’s not exactly going to set the world on fire.

What Tonbridge needs is a decent pub; one selling a range of beers which are hard to get, rather than national brands available everywhere. I’ve been told that the newly launched “Times of Tunbridge Wells” have run a story that the owners of the highly successful Fuggles Beer Café in the town are considering opening a second outlet. Sevenoaks might be in the frame for this, but if Fuggles’ management could be persuaded to look at Tonbridge instead, this could prove a golden opportunity for the town.

Apparently they are not convinced about the viability of an outlet in Tonbridge at the moment, but they could be open to persuasion, so how about it Tonbridge Blog readers? Let your thoughts be known on this matter, by posting them below.

Anonymous said...

What's happened to the proposed micro pub? And over a year on no wine bar in the Castle Inn yet. Traditional town and village pubs are still closing everywhere, you need deep pockets to open a new one.

Paul Bailey said...

Anonymous, I believe the person behind the proposed micro-pub decided not to go ahead. I don’t know what his reasons were, but it does seem a bit strange after applying (successfully) for a licence/change of use for the premises. If someone else is prepared to take it on, as a micro-pub, there may be an opportunity to negotiate something with the landlord/current lessee.

There appears to be some work going on at the Castle, but it all seems pretty low-key and rather half-hearted. Yes, anyone brave enough to contemplate opening a new pub/bar, does need to have deep pockets, and also a pretty thick skin!

Tonbridge blogger said...

I reckon you should go for it PB. You know you want to!

Paul Bailey said...

Too busy, TB!

Anonymous said...

Is Homebase closing in June?
Bring back Texas!

Paul Bailey said...

“What’s new in Tonbridge?” Well, there’s nothing new on this blog and hasn’t been for the past couple of weeks.

One could be forgiven that you’ve given up on the blog, TB.

Tonbridge blogger said...

PB; I think you might be the only regular reader left!

Paul Bailey said...

TB, I think you could be right!

Tonbridgemike said...

I read it too.