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Good morning Tunbridge Wells!

Two public meetings are putting big local issues under the spotlight: one on the ongoing water outages that have left parts of the town dry yet again, and another on the shock news that the Commons are up for sale.

In the headlines, frustration continue with the prolonged disruption to water supplies. Amid all that, there’s still plenty to get out for - from Damon Hill’s behind-the-scenes F1 stories at the Assembly Hall to a beautifully haunting midweek production at Trinity Theatre.

WEATHER

Monday: 7°C 🌡️ 11°C | ☁️

Tuesday: 5°C 🌡️ 10°C | 🌧️

Wednesday: 5°C 🌡️ 8°C | 🌧️

PUBLIC WATER CRISIS MEETING

For the third time in just a few years, large parts of Tunbridge Wells have been left without a reliable water supply. This public meeting has been called to confront why this keeps happening — and why those responsible are not being held to account.

Organised by community group Dry Wells Action, the evening will examine the causes of the latest outage, South East Water’s repeated failure to restore supply quickly, and the ongoing breakdown in communication with residents. It will also ask harder questions: whether ageing infrastructure is fit for purpose, what regulators have actually been doing, and why calls for independent scrutiny and resignations continue to go unanswered.

South East Water, regulators and elected representatives have all been invited. Their presence (or absence) will be telling.

If you’ve been affected, frustrated, or simply want clear answers about the future of water supply in this town, this meeting matters.

Wednesday 21st January 2026, 7:00pm

The Old Auction House, Tunbridge Wells

​Register at drywellsaction.com​

THE BRIEF

☔ Rainwater Collection: Thousands of households in Tunbridge Wells remain without running water more than a week after supplies failed, forcing residents to improvise. Families are collecting rainwater to flush toilets, rationing bottled supplies and reshaping daily routines around what uses the least water. South East Water says tankers are in use and repairs are ongoing, but warns taps may stay dry until at least Friday. Frustration is growing, schools are closed, and political pressure is mounting as disruption spreads across Kent. Read more here.

💰 Use It: Tonbridge residents are being urged to “use it rather than lose it” as a campaign launches to raise awareness of the town’s temporary Banking Hub at Tonbridge Castle. Run with Cash Access UK, the hub supports everyday banking after widespread High Street closures. Organisers say many people only discover it by chance, risking low usage. With the hub hard-won and a permanent site still under discussion, visibility now matters. Read more here.

🚨 Drug Dealer Caught: A routine traffic stop in Tunbridge Wells led to the downfall of a young drug dealer living a luxury lifestyle. Police pulled over an uninsured Jaguar and uncovered cocaine, large sums of cash and links to organised crime. Further searches revealed more drugs hidden in designer luggage. The driver admitted dealing and was later jailed, with his cash and high-value car seized after the court ruled his lifestyle was funded by crime. Read more here.

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THE COMMONS ARE FOR SALE...

...and this affects all of us.

Many people assume Tunbridge Wells & Rusthall Commons are publicly owned. They’re not - and they’ve now been put up for sale.

This public meeting will explain what’s happening, what options are being explored (including community ownership), and how local people can have a say.

If you care about protecting the Commons for future generations, this is your chance to hear the facts, ask questions, and get involved.

Date: Saturday 24 January

Time: 4.00–5.00pm

Location: The Camden Centre, Royal Victoria Place, Tunbridge Wells

The meeting will cover:

• Who owns the Commons and why they are being sold
• What options are being explored to protect them
• How local people can get involved

​More details can be found here.

The Friends are also looking for pledges of support and legal/professional help. Contact: chairman@fotcs.org.uk / johnspbarber@gmail.com

Please share with anyone who cares about the Commons 🌳

THIS WEEK

An Evening With Damon Hill | Assembly Hall | Mon, 7:30pm | Fascinating F1 stories, insider takes, and audience Q&A - total petrolhead treat | £39.25+​

The Simon & Garfunkel Story | Assembly Hall | Thurs, 7:30pm | Nostalgic singalong vibes with stunning visuals | £34.25​

Cheesy Bingo Party | Assembly Hall | Fri, 7:30pm | Utter chaos bingo - singing, dancing, drinks, and zero shame | £23

Man In The Mirror | Assembly Hall | Sun, 7:30pm | Big hits, slick moves - pure MJ nostalgia, sing along guaranteed | £34.24+​

The Thing With Feathers | Trinity Theatre | Wed, 2:30pm & 7:30pm | Haunting, emotional, and beautifully strange - one that really stays with you | £7+​

NT Live: Hamlet | Trinity Theatre | Thurs, 7pm | Sharp, modern Hamlet - darkly funny and surprisingly gripping | £21​

Mark Simmons: Jest To Impress | Trinity Theatre | Fri, 7:30pm | Rapid-fire one-liners, laugh nonstop, seriously sharp comedy night | £21​

Musical Mornings: Winter Wonderland | Trinity Theatre | Sun, 10:30am | Wholesome, high-energy fun - kids leave singing, dancing, and buzzing | £30​

Spa Valley Railway | West Station | Sat & Sun | Old-school trains, themed journeys, food and fun | Details​

Temper Temper | The Forum | Fri, 7:30pm | Loud riffs, retro vibes - proper sweaty, head-nodding live music | £13​

Suncharmer | The Forum | Sat, 7:30pm | Glammy indie-rock, big riffs, and that buzzing “found a new band” feeling | £13.50​

Table Tennis | Sunnyside Hall | Mon & Sun | Play table tennis every week (1st session is free) | £4​

Badminton & Pickleball | Sunnyside Hall | Fri, 6pm | Play badminton & pickleball every week (1st session is free) | £5​

FURTHER OUT

I ❤️ QUIZZING | The Imperial | 28th Jan | Who wants to go out in January FFS!? You do! Come to the quiz, have a little drinky, enjoy some stupid rounds, maybe go home with a dreadful prize? | £3 per person​

Revenge of the Scarecrow | Penshurst Place | 27th Feb | Dress up, eat well, accuse strangers - ridiculously fun murder mystery night | £72​

Better Joy | The Forum | 5th Feb | Sparkly indie-pop, big feelings, leave feeling oddly uplifted | £13​

BE N!CE | The Sussex Arms | 7th Feb | Sweaty, shouty, joyful punk chaos—go ready to dance and yell | £8​

Wedding Open Day | Penshurst Place | 1st Feb | Really charming inspo day — fizz, ideas flowing, wedding suddenly feels real | Details​

JOBS

• Head Chef | Westbank Care Home | More Info​
• Medical Laboratory Assistant | NHS | More Info​
• MET Technician | Steer Automotive Group | More Info​

Check out all the listings on TW Jobs​

(Use discount code TWLIFE30 for 30% off your first listing)

SPORT

⚽FOOTBALL

17th Jan:

• Bearsted 2 - 2 Tunbridge Wells

20th Jan:

• Rusthall vs. Tunbridge Wells (Cup Match)

24th Jan:

• Stansfeld vs. Tunbridge Wells
• Sutton Athletic vs. Rusthall

🏉RUGBY

17th Jan:

• Tunbridge Wells 49 - 14 Hammersmith & Fulham

🏑HOCKEY

17th Jan:

• Gore Court 2 - 3 Tunbridge Wells (Women's)
• Tunbridge Wells (Men's) 2 - 2 Sevenoaks

24th Jan:

• Tunbridge Wells (Women's) vs. Maidstone
• Folkestone Optimist vs. Tunbridge Wells (Men's)

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THANK YOU

Hope you enjoyed this week's letter!

Jamie

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