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Happy Monday, Tunbridge Wells!

Spring is here, and so is a packed week in the borough. The Spa Valley Railway is back in full swing after its £500,000 bridge replacement; a brilliant community effort worth celebrating. Meanwhile, SE Water's CEO faced tough questions from MPs this week, with local businesses still anxious about future outages.

On the events front, FRIENDS! The Musical Parody rolls into the Assembly Hall from tonight, and Hever Castle's Celebration of Spring is a gorgeous excuse to get outside.

WEATHER

Monday: 9°C 🌡️ 19°C | 🌧️

Tuesday: 8°C 🌡️ 17°C | ⛅

Wednesday: 5°C 🌡️ 14°C | 🌧️

SPONSORED BY KENT WINE SCHOOL

Celebrate St George’s Day with something genuinely worth your evening.

Kent Wine School is hosting a guided tasting of English wines, cheeses and charcuterie; a chance to experience just how good local produce has become.

You’ll taste six wines, from crisp English sparkling to aromatic Bacchus and elegant Pinot Noir, each paired with standout cheeses and cured meats. Think Baron Bigod, goat’s cheese and carefully selected charcuterie - combinations that bring out the best in both.

It’s a relaxed, two-hour session at Hotel du Vin, led by an expert who’ll walk you through what you’re tasting (without making it feel like a lesson).

​Thursday 23rd April, 7pm.​

There are only a few places left, and it’s an easy way to mark St George’s Day with good food, good wine and good company.

THE BRIEF

🗑️ Food Waste Collections Extended: Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has expanded its food waste collection to all homes, including flats and communal properties. The change took effect in April 2026. Collections happen every week, alongside the usual recycling and refuse rounds. Food waste goes to a facility where it is broken down through a natural process.

This produces fertiliser for farmers and a renewable energy called biogas. Residents should not use plastic bags to line their caddies. The council recommends newspaper, paper bags or compostable bags marked with the seedling logo. Those who already compost at home can carry on doing so. Any household that had not received a caddy by 1 April was asked to contact the council. Read more here.​

🚂 Spa Valley Railway Reopens: The Spa Valley Railway in Tunbridge Wells has reopened after installing a new bridge on its route. The Broom Lane bridge, between High Rocks and Groombridge, had to be replaced after it became corroded. The work cost £500,000. While the project was under way, the railway could only run a limited service between Tunbridge Wells West and High Rocks.

Full services between Tunbridge Wells and Eridge are now back. General manager Jonnie Pay thanked supporters and volunteers for making the project possible. He said the work was vital to keep the railway open for the future. The railway still has money to pay back on the project and is asking visitors to donate. It reopened on Saturday 19th April with special events and unlimited all-day travel on offer. Read more here.​

🚗 20mph Speed Limit: Four roads in Rusthall could see 20mph speed limits introduced or extended. Kent County Council launched a 24-day consultation on 14 April. It closes at noon on 4 May. The roads affected are Coach Road, Longmeads, Rusthall High Street and Rusthall Road. KCC says the changes are needed because of new housing in the area. It also wants to make roads safer for pedestrians and easier to use for all road users. No decision has been made yet.

Once the consultation closes, any objections will go before the Tunbridge Wells Joint Transportation Board in July. KCC will then decide whether to make the limits permanent, change the plans, or drop them. Separately, KCC has been awarded £60,000 to design a second phase of a wider active travel route between Langton Green and Rusthall. Residents can have their say by filling in a form on the KCC website. Written responses must arrive by noon on 4 May. Read more here.​

🫗 SE Water boss admits failures before MPs The chief executive of South East Water faced MPs on 14th April and admitted the company got things wrong. David Hinton appeared before the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee. It was his second time before the committee. MPs questioned him about the water outages that hit Tunbridge Wells and the wider Kent and Sussex area last winter. Hinton said the company missed infrastructure problems early on. He admitted poor routine maintenance and a slow response to faults.

During the crisis, he was criticised for staying out of the public eye and for failing to keep customers informed. MPs asked why no one in the leadership team had been replaced. The company's chairman said the board was backing Hinton to continue. Ofwat has proposed a £22 million fine for supply failures between 2020 and 2023. South East Water says it is carrying out a six-month programme of works at the Pembury treatment site to cut the risk of future outages. Read more here.​

💦 Local Businesses Still Worried: Tunbridge Wells businesses say they fear another water outage. This comes after South East Water failed to promise MPs it would not happen again. The Kitchen Table, a mental health charity café, had to close for eight days during the outage. Manager Rosemary Willis said the impact on regular customers mattered more than the financial loss. She said she still keeps bottled water at home. Charlie Moore and Wendy Pete run Charlie's Kitchens.

They said they had to close toilets to customers and switch to a shop-only service. They said South East Water's communication was poor. Many customers still felt unsafe drinking tap water after the notice was lifted. South East Water's CEO said he would not take a bonus this year. The company will continue paying compensation to affected businesses until the end of May. Read more here.​

SPONSORED BY BIRGIT HOLISTIC VET

If you’ve ever felt your pet needed a more considered approach to care, this may be one to know.

Dr Birgit Ahlemeyer and her team in Groombridge offer a holistic veterinary service that looks beyond symptoms to understand the full picture - from medical history and behaviour to diet and lifestyle.

With decades of experience in both conventional and holistic medicine, they combine treatments such as acupuncture, homeopathy and herbal medicine alongside standard veterinary care where appropriate.

Consultations are longer, calmer, and focused on building a tailored plan for each animal - not just managing a single issue.

Many local pet owners come here when they’re looking for a different perspective, particularly for ongoing or complex conditions.

If you’d like to explore a more integrative approach to your pet’s health, Birgit Holistic Vet is based just outside Tunbridge Wells in Groombridge.

TW LIFE COMMUNITY BOARD

Thackeray's Wine Dinner

A six-course tasting menu, each dish paired with a premium wine; hosted at Thackeray’s on Wednesday 29th April. Following a sold-out evening last year, Kent Wine School returns for a relaxed, expertly guided dinner in an intimate group of just 15 guests. Expect seasonal dishes, thoughtful pairings, and a genuinely special night.

​Book now to secure one of the remaining places.​

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KentRelief

KentRelief supports people displaced by conflict, both here in the UK and in Ukraine; providing food, essential supplies, and help rebuilding lives with dignity. From emergency aid to community support, your contribution directly impacts those facing real hardship. Every donation helps us respond quickly and effectively where it’s needed most.

​Please consider donating today or replying to learn how you can support KentRelief’s work.​

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ADVERTISE ON THE BOARD

THIS WEEK

FRIENDS! The Musical Parody | Assembly Hall | Mon 20 Apr – Sat 25 Apr, 7:30pm (+ Fri 24 Apr 5pm & 8pm, Sat 25 Apr 2:30pm) | Hit Broadway parody of all ten TV seasons | From £34.00​

NT Live: All My Sons | Trinity Theatre | Mon 20 Apr 7pm, Tue 21 Apr 2pm & 7pm | Arthur Miller classic filmed live from the West End | From £21.00​

NT Connections Festival 2026 | Trinity Theatre | Wed 22 Apr – Thu 23 Apr, times TBC | Youth theatre showcase of new National Theatre plays | See details​

Celebration of Spring 2026 | Hever Castle | Mon 20 Apr – Sun 26 Apr, 10:30am | Tulips, bluebells, guided garden tours and floristry demos | Included with admission​

Epsom & Ewell Silver Band Quintet | Hever Castle | Sun 26 Apr, 12:30pm | Live brass quintet on Half Moon Lawn, three hour-long sets | Included with admission​

Easter Crafts & Bonnet Bonanza Trail | Penshurst Place | Mon 20 Apr – Sun 26 Apr, 10am | Easter garden trail and crafts in The Old Coach House | Included with admission​

Penshurst Place Estate Spring Stroll & Lunch | Penshurst Place | Sun 19 Apr, 10:30am | Guided estate walk then two-course Elizabethan banquet lunch | From £49.00​

Old Castle Tours | Scotney Castle | Mon 20 Apr – Sun 26 Apr, 11am | Rare behind-the-scenes tour of the ancient ruined castle | See details​

Vox Pops Indie Choir | The Sussex Arms | Tue 21 Apr, 7:30pm | Indie songs reimagined for voices, informal choir night | See details​

Stable: Crushed By Pimps | Eating Teeth | Floor 14 | Hellyer | The Forum | Thu 23 Apr, 7pm | Four-band emerging artists showcase night | See details​

A Celebration of The Clash: 50th Anniversary | The Forum | Fri 24 Apr, 7:30pm | Live tribute to The Clash's groundbreaking punk catalogue | See details​

WOODPIG + James Lloyd Smith | The Sussex Arms | Fri 24 Apr, 7:30pm | Live indie music double bill at the Sussex Arms | From £9.00​

Sensing Culture: Group for blind & partially sighted adults | The Amelia | Fri 24 Apr, times TBC | Tactile arts and culture experience for the visually impaired | Free entry​

All the President's Men (1976) | Rusthall Community Cinema | Sat 25 Apr, 6:30pm | Classic Watergate political thriller with Hoffman and Redford | See details​

Coffee Concert: Jong-Gyung Park & Anthony Zerpa-Falcon | The Amelia | Sat 25 Apr, 11am | Intimate piano duo recital, royal court composers | From £15.00​

Fever Rouge | The Sussex Arms | Sat 25 Apr, 7:30pm | Funk and soul band bringing the heat | From £8.00​

Back to the 80's | The Forum | Sat 25 Apr, 8pm | High-energy celebration of the decade's biggest hits | See details​

AA Military Memorial Run | Bewl Water | Sun 20 Apr, 10:30am | Historic military vehicle convoy stops at Bewl Water | Free entry​

NT Live: All My Sons (screening) | Rusthall Community Cinema | Sun 26 Apr, 2pm | Bryan Cranston stars in Arthur Miller's West End production | See details​

Stable: The Butterfly Wheel | Honeybuzzard | Puma Theory | Under The Covers | The Forum | Sun 26 Apr, 6pm | Four-band Stable emerging artists night | See details​

Cars at the Castle (National Drive It Day) | Chiddingstone Castle | Sun 26 Apr, all day | Classic car display in castle grounds, supporting NSPCC | Free entry​

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

Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival @ The Amelia | The Amelia | Tue 5 May – Fri 8 May | Multi-day lit fest with authors, poets and spoken word | See details​

Castle Canines 2026 | Hever Castle | Sun 10 May, 10:30am | Annual dog-friendly day out in the historic castle grounds | See details​

Imagine the Beatles – Live at the Orangery | Chiddingstone Castle | Sun 17 May, afternoon | Fab Four tribute on the picturesque Orangery lawn, bring a picnic | See details​

An Afternoon with Dave Rowntree (Blur drummer) | The Forum | Sun 10 May, 2pm | Spoken word event with the Blur drummer turned politician | See details​

Bewl Water Triathlon | Bewl Water | Sun 24 May | Open-water swim, bike and run in stunning High Weald scenery | See details​

SPORT

Results

⚽ 14 Apr Tunbridge Wells FC 2–2 Faversham Strike Force SCEFL Prem [D]

⚽ 14 Apr Rusthall FC 0–1 Stansfeld SCEFL Prem [L] (Surprise home defeat to already-relegated Stansfeld)

⚽ 18 Apr Rusthall FC 5–1 Bearsted SCEFL Prem [W]

🏑 18 Apr Women's 1st XI vs TWHC Friendly (Friendly at Nevill Ground; score not published)

Fixtures

⚽ 21 Apr Snodland Town vs Rusthall FC SCEFL Prem

THANK YOU

Hope you enjoyed this week's letter!

Jamie

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