Happy Star Wars day Tunbridge Wells! 🚀

This week, big news for local foodies - Louisiana fried chicken chain Popeyes could be heading our way, following its hugely popular Kent openings. Meanwhile, a planning application for 36 new homes in Cranbrook is stirring debate, with residents raising concerns about stretched infrastructure.

On the events front, Tom Fletcher's interactive children's show There's a Monster in Your Show lands at Trinity Theatre midweek, and Blur drummer Dave Rowntree rolls into The Forum on Sunday. Enjoy the read!

WEATHER

Monday: 9°C 🌡️ 19°C | 🌧️

Tuesday: 8°C 🌡️ 17°C | ⛅

Wednesday: 5°C 🌡️ 14°C | 🌧️

THE BRIEF

👷 36 New Homes in Cranbrook: A planning application has been submitted for 36 homes on fields south of Corn Hall in Cranbrook. Developer Fernham Homes Operations is seeking permission from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council. Fourteen of the homes would be affordable, and the site would include open space and a play area. The land sits beside Ancient Woodland and has a number of tree preservation orders.

A pre-application consultation drew 15 responses from residents. One key concern raised was that existing infrastructure cannot cope with more homes. The developer responded that the site is allocated in the Local Plan and that infrastructure capacity has been planned for, with mitigation through S106 payments. The housing mix ranges from two-bedroom to five-bedroom homes, with 110 parking spaces and EV charging points at every property. No decision date has been set. Read more here.​

🍗 Popeyes Eyes TW: The Louisiana-style fried chicken chain Popeyes could be coming to Tunbridge Wells. A job advert for a general manager has been posted online, listing Tunbridge Wells as the location. The role offers a salary of between £37,000 and £44,000, with benefits including paid training, private medical insurance and employee discounts. No location within the town has been confirmed yet. Popeyes opened its first Kent site in Dartford, followed by a second in Maidstone in February - where queues formed from 2am on opening day. The chain has not yet made a formal announcement about the new site. Read more here.​

🍎 'Brewing Crisis' in Social Care: The manager of Milward House care home in Tunbridge Wells has warned that Britain is not prepared for the growing demand for care home places. Sid Martin, the home's business manager, said people living longer; combined with rising costs - is creating a perfect storm. "In ten years will there be enough care homes?" he said. Weekly fees at Milward House range from £1,582 to £1,999, and Martin said the wage bill alone exceeds £1 million a year, with further pressure from National Insurance increases and rising utility bills.

He said the home could not survive on local authority funding alone, which would leave a shortfall of around two-thirds of costs. Kent County Council's cabinet member for adult social care said the issue keeps her awake at night. The government said over £4.6bn in funding would be available for the sector by 2028-29, and confirmed it is committed to building a National Care Service. Read more here.​

👶 First Recruit Baby for Brain Study: A baby born at Tunbridge Wells Hospital has become the first in the world to be recruited to a major international study into brain injuries in newborns. The COMET trial, run by Imperial College London and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, is testing whether cooling therapy can reduce brain injury in babies who experience a lack of oxygen at birth.

The condition, known as mild hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE), affects around one in every 1,000 newborns. Research suggests around 20% of those affected may develop lifelong disability. The first baby recruited, Eliza, was enrolled after staff noticed rapid breathing and delayed reflexes shortly after her birth. Her parents said they decided participation was worth trying after weighing the benefits and risks. Eliza's mother said she is now doing well and hitting all her developmental milestones. The lead researcher at Imperial College said it was vital for every NHS hospital to take part so all babies have the best possible start. Read more here.​

🐉 Happy 1st Birthday, Dragonfly Farm Shop! 🎉

The wonderful Dragonfly Farm Shop & Café in Speldhurst is celebrating its first birthday. Already nominated for a prestigious Muddy Stilettos award, this beloved local gem has quickly become a firm favourite in the community. To mark the occasion, head down to enjoy tasty tasters, special treats, and there'll be extra parking on hand too (handy, as the café is always a popular spot at weekends!). Congratulations to Rachel and the whole team; here's to many more years of fresh, local goodness! Read more here.

Tory Candidate Challenges Lib Dems

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THIS WEEK

Meadow of Memories | Scotney Castle | Mon 4 May – Sun 10 May, 10:00am | Steel daisy installation by Hospice in the Weald | Included with admission​

'The Wonder of Trees' Estate Walks | Scotney Castle | Fri 8 May – Sun 10 May, 11:30am | Free volunteer-led tree walks for National Walking Month | Included with admission​

An Audience with Rory Bremner | Assembly Hall | Mon 4 May, 2:00pm | Impressions and satire with Britain's finest mimic | From £22.00​

Donna Ashworth and Davina McCall | Assembly Hall | Mon 4 May, 5:30pm | Bestselling poet in conversation with TV presenter | From £28.50​

TWLF: Shakespeare's Borrowed Feathers | Trinity Theatre | Mon 4 May, 3:00pm | Talk on Shakespeare's literary sources and influences | From £10.00​

TWLF: Hamnet (12A) – Shakespeare on Screen | Trinity Theatre | Mon 4 May, 7:00pm | Talk and screening of Chloé Zhao's award-winning film | From £15.00​

TW Literary Festival @ The Amelia Scott | The Amelia | Tue 5 May – Fri 8 May, various times | Festival events across all four days | See details​

Luke Wright: TW Litfest | The Forum | Tue 5 May, 7:00pm | Poet performs warm, funny set about adoption | See details​

Vox Pops Indie Choir | The Sussex Arms | Tue 5 May, 7:30pm | Community indie choir performs live | See details​

Georgie Jones: TW Litfest | The Forum | Tue 5 May, 8:30pm | Literary evening with author Georgie Jones | See details​

The History of Sound (15) | Trinity Theatre | Tue 5 May, 7:30pm | Cannes-nominated romantic drama about music and love | From £11.00​

There's a Monster in Your Show | Trinity Theatre | Wed 6 May – Thu 7 May, 1:00pm, 4:30pm, 10:30am, 1:30pm | Tom Fletcher's interactive children's show with puppets | From £15.00​

From the Ground Up – Wilderness Woods: TW Litfest | The Forum | Wed 6 May, 12:00pm | Writers and workshops from an off-grid woodland community | Pay as you feel​

STABLE: Be Kind Cadaver / Cessie / pingpati / Sighlok | The Forum | Thu 7 May, 7:00pm | New music showcase: post-punk, RnB, synthpop, trip-hop | See details​

Flower Sketching – One Day Course | Hever Castle | Fri 8 May, 10:00am | Guided botanical sketching in the castle gardens | From £55.00​

John Bramwell (I Am Kloot) | The Forum | Fri 8 May, 7:30pm | Solo set from Mercury-nominated I Am Kloot frontman | See details​

Spring Market | Dragonfly Farm | Sat 9 May, 9am to 3pm | Celebrate spring and the shops 1-year anniversary! | Details​

Jane Austen Wrecked My Life (2024) | Rusthall Cinema | Sat 9 May, doors 6:30pm | Romantic comedy about a bookseller and her love life | See details​

Wild Oceans | The Sussex Arms | Sat 9 May, 7:30pm | Live music night at the intimate basement venue | From £9.00​

An Afternoon with Dave Rowntree – Blur Drummer | The Forum | Sun 10 May, 2:00pm | Blur's drummer talks rare early band photography | See details​

Rusty Egan (Visage/Rich Kids): TW Litfest | The Forum | Sun 10 May, 6:00pm | New wave pioneer discusses music and subculture | See details​

Rosie Garland (The March Violets): Music, Gothic Subculture & Survival | The Forum | Sun 10 May, 8:00pm | Goth icon reflects on music and subcultural survival | See details​

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

Rusthall Cinema: A Bunch of Amateurs (2022) | Rusthall Cinema | Sat 23 May, doors 6:30pm | Charming documentary about Bradford's amateur filmmaking club | See details​

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

Cars at the Castle 2026 | Hever Castle | Sat 13 Jun – Sun 14 Jun, 10:30am | Classic and prestige cars displayed in historic grounds | Included with admission​

Hever's Home Front 2026 – Father's Day Weekend | Hever Castle | Sat 20 Jun – Sun 21 Jun, 10:30am | 1940s re-enactment weekend with wartime entertainments | Included with admission​

Outdoor Theatre: Much Ado About Nothing | Scotney Castle | Sat 8 Aug, 7:00pm | Changeling Theatre brings Shakespeare's best rom-com outdoors | See details​

Mental Health Workshop | Amelia Scott | Fri 15 May, 10am to 7pm | The Counselling Centre is hosting a interactive workshop! | See details​

'Second Fruits' - a documentary film about Henry and Jane Austen | St John's Church | Wed 20 May, 8pm | All welcome. | Book a place for free via email here.

SPORT

Fixtures

⚽ 4 May Rusthall FC vs Punjab United SCEFL Premier Division Play-Off Final

Played at Jockey Farm Stadium. Rusthall won their semi-final on penalties; Punjab United beat Fisher 3–1. Winner promoted to Isthmian League (Step 4)

🏏 9 May Tunbridge Wells CC 1st XI vs The Vine KCL Premier Division

THANK YOU

Hope you enjoyed this week's letter!

Jamie

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