The tired old lunch box may soon be a thing of the past, with the arrival of a new venture in Folkestone’s Creative Quarter that aims to tempt the palate with exciting tastes from across the world. Partners Philippe Vialon and Daryl Hodgkins will open “Fresh & Easy” as tenants of the Creative Foundation at 17-19 The Old High Street in mid May, offering a wide variety of gourmet sandwiches, salads, desserts, pastries and chocolate, amongst other temptations.

Philippe was born and trained in France, where his family owned and ran a restaurant, and has extensive experience as a senior chef in locations around the world, principally in Australia and across Europe, and including London’s prestigious One Aldwych. He has worked in businesses varying from small patisseries to five star hotels and restaurants, and has managed large corporate kitchens and restaurants. Daryl, who will provide management support to the business, is an experienced event, bar and restaurant manager.

Fresh & Easy will offer nutritious food using fresh ingredients. Central to the concept will be a typical lunch box, consisting of a choice of fresh fruit juice, a main course and a dessert, based on a variety of dishes from around the world. Examples include: baby octopus & marinated in chilli & coriander salad, duck & orange pate with a green salad and a slice of crusty fresh bread, roasted mixed vegetables with French bleu d’auvergne cheese baguette, spinach & ricotta cheese with herbs de provence quiche, and for dessert raspberry tart, pineapple & vanilla crumble. Customers can also choose from a range of croissants, yogurts, fruit salads, homemade chocolate and truffles, cakes for special occasions, homemade jams, pickles and sauces, fresh fruit juices, smoothies and milkshakes. Wherever possible produce and meats will be sourced locally.  Even dog owners are not forgotten: Fresh & Easy will offer a variety of homemade nutritious treats for dogs!

Fresh & Easy will also provide catering for special occasion lunches, parties and for local businesses in the area.  And to complement the lunchtime service, Fresh & Easy will be open a few evenings during the week to offer a relaxed environment where people of all backgrounds can meet to socialise and discuss issues that affect the community.

Philippe said: “We are re-locating to Folkestone from London to take advantage of the exciting opportunity that Folkestone offers, and in particular the attractive premises and terms on offer from The Creative Foundation. We believe that we bring a new dimension in food to Folkestone with our attention to hospitality and friendly service and our determination to serve a wide choice of fresh and interesting food in a creative manner.”

Daryl added: “We believe our passion and enthusiasm, combined with our very different formula, will create a very convivial atmosphere in which our customers can eat, drink and chat. We shall work with local community groups and with schools, and in time we hope to be recognised as a venue where people can meet people from all walks of life over a good cup of coffee and an even better slice of cake!”

Gardens can be wonderful places for wildlife. It really is easy and inexpensive to create a mosaic of wildlife rich areas - From a simple window box to an imaginatively planted vegetable plot.

So if you’re proud of your wildlife friendly garden, then why not share the secrets of its success with Kent Wildlife Trust?

It’s FREE TO ENTER and open to ANYONE WHO GARDENS IN KENT, however large or small their plot and whether they are a business, community group, school, allotment, private garden or even a collection of adjoining gardens. The closing date is 30 June.

Shepway DC is supporting this friendly competition again this year (main contact is Laura Pinkham in Environmental Services). Are you interested in taking part? Or perhaps you may be able to promote the scheme to groups you work with e.g. allotment groups, schools, residents etc.

It’s a simple entry form, free and open to anyone who gardens in Shepway/Kent, however large or small their plot and whether they are a business, community group, school, allotment, private garden or even a collection of adjoining gardens. The closing date is 30^th June.

Further info including online application form on following link…

http://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/our-work/wild-about-gardens/

Following discussions with other interested parties in Sandgate David Cowell has decided to invoke Section 15 of the Commons Act 2006. This allows Kent County Council to declare the site a ‘village green’ and, as such, protect it, in perpetuity, against any development.

In order to qualify for this we have to show that:

1. a significant number of those people who use the land are local people.

2. those using the green have done so without permission, without being stopped or seeing notices which stop them, and without being secretive about it, and that between them they have done this for a continuous period of 20 years.

Below - there are some frequently asked questions (courtesy of the Open Spaces Society).

We have to get a significant number of people to complete an evidence questionnaire to support the claim. Significant has been described in Court cases as “sufficient to indicate that it is in general used by the local community for informal recreation” . If you would like to complete an evidence pack please email David Cowell [david@davidcowell.net] your name and address and how many you need (couples can be two) and he will get them to you.

Please tell friends and relatives and neighbours also. The more the better particularly if they were using it over 20 years ago.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• How can I protect the land?If you can prove that local people have used the land without secrecy, force or permission for at least 20 years for lawful sports and pastimes, you can apply to register the land as new green. This will protect it from development for ever and preserve it for use by local people.
• Who is my registration authority?In England, all unitary authorities and county councils are registration authorities. In Wales, all county/borough councils are registration authorities.
• How long does the process take?Unfortunately, there is no limit to how long the process can take.
• How much evidence do I need to give?As much as possible, but quality is more important than quantity.

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• ‘Sandgate’ mystery remains unsolved (philly.com)

‘A Town Unearthed’ is a community archaeological project taking place in Folkestone, Kent, England this summer and lasting for 3 years. It is a joint project between the Folkestone Peoples History Centre, Christ Church University Canterbury and Canterbury Archaeological Trust, with contributions from numerous other organizations.

It is hoped that more will be learnt about Folkestone Roman Villa, located on the East Cliff, and its surrounding area plus the Bayle area. Excavations will be undertaken at the Villa site and test pits (1m square trenches) in a variety of locals back gardens! This is a community event, not just for ‘professionals’ and we hope that as many Folkestonians will get involved in all aspects of this event.

A geophysics survey took place during late June - although the location of the villa is known it is not known what other structures may be nearby. Ash samples were also taken from the villa site to ascertain whether there is anything toxic on it.

Following this work there will be a public meeting at the UCF (University Centre Folkestone at the bottom of Grace Hill) on 29th July at 6.30pm to show the Geophysics results and what the next step is - i.e. when the dig will begin!!!

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• “Rude” Roman Pots? (rogueclassicism.com)
• Fossils reveal 800,000-year-old Britons (channel4.com)
• Amateur unearths 52,000 Roman coins worth $1m (cnn.com)

Always on the lookout for reviews, especially reviews of Folkestone accommodation - and I found this lovely warming review of the Relish Hotel on the TimesOnline - entitled “A diamond in the rough - cosy yet contemporary, great service and free cake after midnight”.

I felt like the girl in Morrissey’s video for his song Everyday is Like Sunday as I strolled along Folkestone’s seafront during a storm that liberated my face of several layers of skin.

However, while the Manchester misery called for his coastal town to be closed down, I rather enjoyed the bleak, almost apocalyptic weather conditions of Folkestone, albeit because I knew I’d soon be in The Relish hotel’s lovely living room.

There are many reasons to visit this Kent town, it’s being transformed from a down-at-heel port into a culture-loving community with a number of literary and art festivals throughout the year.

Read more at:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/where_to_stay/article6948575.ece

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• PFF - Hotels in Folkestone (apostcardaday.blogspot.com)
• Wintry weather to continue into next week (telegraph.co.uk)