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Sponsored by
This week in Tunbridge Wells: a campaign is gathering pace to save the Victoria Snooker Centre, a much-loved social hub with a storied past, as redevelopment plans for Royal Victoria Place loom. Elsewhere, plans to convert the former George and Dragon pub in Lamberhurst into 15 flats have sparked fresh debate about housing, heritage and parking pressures.
Looking ahead, families can enjoy the feel-good Rusthall Treasure Trail fundraiser in support of Samaritans, while Calverley Grounds’ winter skating remains a reliable crowd-pleaser for the festive break.
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WEATHER
Monday: 4°C 🌡️ 7°C | ☁️
Tuesday: -1°C 🌡️ 7°C | ☁️
Wednesday: -2°C 🌡️ 5°C | ☀️
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SPONSORED BY SAMARITANS
Looking for something uplifting to do after the New Year? Join the Rusthall Treasure Trail, a relaxed, family-friendly fundraiser in support of Samaritans Tunbridge Wells.
Pick up your trail pack from the URC Hall on Manor Road and enjoy a self-guided walk around Rusthall, with four creative and feel-good activity stations along the way. Expect a nature hunt in the garden, pebble decorating to spread a little kindness around the village, a friendship-themed art competition (with the winning entry featured on the front cover of Rusthall Life), and a puzzle search through local shops focused on positive mental health.
You can start anytime between 10am and 2pm, with most people taking 1–2 hours. Toilets and free drinks are available, with tea and coffee for a small charge.
Tickets are £6.13
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THE BRIEF
🎱 Snooker Club Campaign: A campaign is under way to save the Victoria Snooker Centre in Tunbridge Wells, a long-standing club that has hosted stars like Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark Allen. The venue faces possible demolition as part of plans to redevelop Royal Victoria Place. Supporters say the club is more than a business. They call it a vital social hub that tackles isolation and preserves local heritage. The council says consultation is ongoing, with a planning application expected in 2026. Read more here.
💦 Water Rewrites: After days without water across Tunbridge Wells, a local ukulele group turned frustration into festive humour. Rewriting The Twelve Days of Christmas, their new song pokes fun at boil notices, tanker queues and brown bathwater. Performed at a Christmas sing-along on The Pantiles, the light-hearted set drew smiles, encouraged passers-by to join in and raised money for Nourish Foodbank. Read more here.
☃️ Snow Days: As Christmas weather stays stubbornly snow-free, KentLive looks back at when Tunbridge Wells truly froze. Archive photos capture towering icicles above railway lines, Dunorlan Park turned into an ice rink during the Big Freeze of 1962–63, and a surreal August 1956 hailstorm that buried streets in ice. From wartime winters to freak summer storms, the images show just how extreme local weather once was. See the photos here.
🪖 Local Hero: A Christmas tribute in Southborough honours civil engineer Guy Maunsell, whose wartime designs helped protect London during the Blitz. His striking sea forts defended the Thames Estuary from aircraft, boats and V1 flying bombs, and later informed the Mulberry Harbours used on D-Day. Though little known locally, historians say his work saved countless lives and left a remarkable legacy along the Kent coast. Read more here.
🍺 Pub Conversion: Plans have been submitted to turn the former George and Dragon pub in Lamberhurst into 15 flats, combining a conversion of the historic building with a new three-storey block at the rear. The pub, which closed in 2024, has been described as commercially unviable despite rent reductions. Developers say the scheme would restore the original structure while bringing new homes to the village, though parking is already a concern for locals. Read more here.
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TW LIFE COMMUNITY BOARD
Step back in time at Retro Stuff.
From Only Fools and Horses and Doctor Who to vintage metal signs, memorabilia packs and unique retro gifts, this is proper nostalgia done well.
Independent, family-run, and now proudly based in Royal Victoria Place.
Perfect for gifts you won’t find on the high street.
Visit in-store or shop online.
Want to spread the good word about your business, a project you’re working on, a hire, or just want to say hi to 5,000 friends?
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THIS WEEK
Skate | Calverley Grounds | Mon to Sun | Proper winter skating, easy crowd-pleaser for friends or family | Details
Sleeping Beauty | Assembly Hall | Mon to Wed | Solid, big-cast panto - last chance! | £29+
The Nutcracker | Trinity Theatre | Mon, 11am, 1pm & 3pm | Gentle, short ballet that’s a calm festive treat for kids | £19
NT Live: The Fifth Step | Trinity Theatre | Tues to Sun | Sharp, funny and intense watch if you want something weightier | £20
The Choral | Trinity Theatre | Fri, 2:30pm & 7:30pm | Warm, thoughtful film that quietly sneaks up on you | £7+
Wicked: For Good | Trinity Theatre | Sat, 2pm & 7pm | Big, emotional finale that musical fans will love | £7+
Wake Up Dead Man (Knives Out) | Trinity Theatre | Sun, 5:30pm | Smart, twisty whodunnit that’s great fun with a crowd | £11
Freud's Last Session | Rusthall Community Cinema | Sat, 6:30pm | Two giants sparring ideas; thoughtful, talky, surprisingly warma | £5
NYE: Baby Dave & Friends | The Forum | Wed, 8pm | Messy, loud New Year’s Eve gig with proper energy | £28
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
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FURTHER OUT
Cheesy Bingo Party | Assembly Hall | 23rd Jan | Utter chaos bingo, throwaway fun night with mates and drinks | £23
KPOP Fantasy | Assembly Hall | 24th Jan | High-energy K-pop spectacle - big vibes, nonstop dancing, very fun | £27.25
Bowie Night 2026 | The Forum | 9th Jan | Belting Bowie tunes, friendly crowd, always a brilliant singalong night | £20
Celebration of AC/DC | The Forum | 16th Jan | Loud, sweaty rock night if you just want riffs | £22.50
Barrioke: The Big 2026 Farewell | The Forum | Sat, 8pm | Utterly daft karaoke chaos, always ends up hilarious | Details
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JOBS
- ⭐ Site Maintenance | The Bowles Rock Trust | More Info ⭐
- Community Nurse | Kent Community Health NHS Trust | More Info
- Pharmacy Assistant | Paydens Tonbridge | More Info
Check out all the listings on TW Jobs
(Use discount code TWLIFE30 for 30% off your first listing)
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SPORT
⚽FOOTBALL
27th Dec:
- Rusthall 2 - 0 Tunbridge Wells
3rd Jan:
- Snodland Town vs. Rusthall
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THANK YOU
Hope you enjoyed this week's letter!
Jamie
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