Will studio plan bring stars flocking to town?

Will they, won’t they, swill they bring romance to dear old Ashford town?

Will Bank Street change its name to Ashford Boulevard, with movie stars’ footprints set in cement outside Shens Mediterranean Restaurant? Will world-famous names patronise our dozens of hairdressers and nail bars and look for cute, locally-made gifts in the Made in Ashford shop in Park Mall?

As all will have seen on the front page of last week’s KE, it has been mooted that a company called Netflix might be persuaded to occupy the old Newtown Road railway works if Mark Quinn’s proposed multi-million pound conversion to turn the area into film studios goes ahead.

Netflix, I understand, produces some films of its own and ‘streams’ (whatever that is) these and others to peoples’ portable telephones and other devices. It is, apparently, a hugely popular service, earning some £850 million a year from subscribers in Britain. Reports last year said the government was looking to see if it paid enough tax. But then, the taxman always thinks everyone isn’t paying enough tax.

I took up my cudgel recently in support of the gent who has paid for a bench as a memorial to his deceased wife. He also wishes to put flowers on said bench. Tenterden council said he could put the flowers on the bench twice a year, on the anniversary of her death and on her birthday. And they must be loosely secured to the leg of the bench.

The chap paid ‘several hundred pounds’ for the bench in the first place, only to be told that it belongs to the council and not him. What, one has to ask, has the grieving man actually paid all that money for?

Does anyone, apart from those who made the ruling, agree either that it’s fair or humane to treat a bereaved spouse in such a manner?

‘Roger came in with a list of all the Ashford pubs that had ceased to be’

I was saddened to read of the death of Roger Airey, He was a familiar figure to be seen wandering round the town lamenting at the way in which Ashford’s history was being eroded. When Mrs B. and I were landlords of the Victoria pub (now destroyed) Roger came in with a printed list of all the Ashford pubs that had ceased to be.