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00:00Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight live here on KMTV. I'm Finn McDermott and here are your
00:28top stories on Monday the 27th of October. History up in flames. Emergency services were called
00:34to put out fire on listed building in North Fleet. Absolutely appalling. It's the worst day in North
00:40Fleet's history since the war. The loss of a building of this importance. Renters' rights. A new law means
00:47landlords won't be able to say no pets without a solid reason as to why. It's good for well-being,
00:53it's good for the children and I think it's part of your rights as a tenant to be able to have a pet.
01:00And we mustn't leave this generation behind. Medway Culture Club hosts film screening remembering the
01:06Windrush Barrel children for Black History Month. I think it's important for us to recognise the
01:11contributions of the Windrush generation but also pass down those oral histories to future generations
01:17living here in Medway.
01:30Hello and for our top story tonight. A large fire broke out at the former Portland's Factory Club
01:36near Gravesend last night. Emergency services were called just before 11.30pm to put out the flames
01:42coming from the historic building. And North Fleet High Street, where the club is located, remains closed.
01:49Our reporter Alfie Rowe has more.
01:54The blaze was intense and the building historic. Though an emergency crew including eight fire engines
02:00worked through the night to save the Grade II listed building, only when the dust settled on the North Fleet
02:06fire did the true scale of the loss become clear.
02:09Absolutely appalling. It's the worst day in North Fleet's history since the war. The loss of a building
02:15of this importance.
02:16Just before 11.30pm last night, fire crews were called to put out a flame which had engulfed
02:22the Portland's Factory Club building behind me. Now although the flame has been put out and severe
02:27structural damage has been avoided, as you can see the high street is still cordoned off.
02:32Although empty for more than 30 years, the property was once a hub for the area and has a history
02:37dating back centuries. For this reason, the disruption runs deeper than a few temporary roadblocks,
02:44according to local historian and guide Christopher Bull.
02:47It was opened in 1878 and it was built by Thomas Bevan, the owner of the North Fleet Cement Works.
02:55It was built especially as a three-dimensional advert to show what bricks and concrete could do,
03:04what it could build. This is a building full of detail, architectural detail, interesting building,
03:12absolutely a great loss and sadly that most people in North Fleet don't even realise it.
03:19In their latest update, Kent Fire and Rescue Service said,
03:22Crews are continuing to advise those travelling in the North Fleet area to avoid the high street
03:26due to road closures from firefighting operations. Asked for comment, Kent Police added,
03:31Emergency services remain at the scene and the high street adjacent to the damaged building,
03:36along with part of the factory remain closed. An investigation is underway into the cause of the
03:41fire. But what is certain is that a slice of Gravesham history has been lost forever.
03:46Alfie Rowe for KMTV in North Fleet.
03:49North Fleet wasn't the only area hit by fires. A historic Faversham building also caught fire this weekend.
03:58A room in Standard Quay, Faversham caught fires in the early hours of Sunday morning, leaving several
04:05businesses destroyed. The former commercial port is home to several shops and eateries. But despite efforts
04:11made to tackle the blaze, the old age of the mostly wooden structure was quickly consumed by the flames.
04:16Reacting to the fire on social media this morning, the owners of the Pottery Room said,
04:21Any future bookings will be cancelled for the foreseeable future. We are absolutely gutted.
04:25Now, have you ever wanted to get a pet in your rented home but couldn't? Well, this could soon change,
04:32as a new renters' rights bill has reached the final stage of Parliament, just waiting royal assent. This means
04:38landlords could no longer impose blanket bans on keeping pets in private rental properties. But do people in Kent think this is a good thing? Well, we are
04:46asked those on Rochester High Street for their opinions.
04:49Yeah, I think renters should definitely have the right to have an animal or a pet. It's
04:54good for well-being, it's good for the children, and I think it's part of your rights as a tenant
05:01to be able to have a pet. Definitely.
05:03This is a case for a conversation, really. I know now things are so impersonal because you
05:07go through the agents and so on, and the agents do most of the vetting before you actually even
05:12have a chance to talk to the prospective tenant. I agree with that. I was going to say my mother,
05:20my mother lived in a ward and assisted place, and they weren't allowed to have pets, and
05:26I thought that was a bit terrible as she owned the property as well. I think a lot of people
05:33are either dependent on it by their lifestyle, to go for walks, it's their reason to go out,
05:40wants to have a pet, or it's a member of the family. So in general, yeah, I think they should
05:46be allowed in rented properties, yeah.
05:48I disagree with the government telling me, the landlord, what I can and cannot do in my
05:55house. Too much government regulations. It's ridiculous.
06:02If your renter has, let's say, a car and puts the car on the drive, you wouldn't expect the
06:11landlord to pay the insurance on the car, would you?
06:15People that maybe live alone, they give a source of comfort and less loneliness. So yeah, I think,
06:22you know, if they're a pet, they fight your family, then yeah, they should be allowed in your home.
06:26Sorry about that. Well, joining me now is Kristen Hawthorne, who's been finding out more about the
06:34local opinion on the change. So thank you for joining me, Kristen. Tell us, you've been speaking
06:39with those from the Kenwood Trust about their opinions. What did they say?
06:43Yes. So these are the people that resell people with addiction or housing issues. They think that
06:49it's a great idea. However, they do say that one part of it is that this doesn't, the bill doesn't
06:55include social housing, which they believe is a big part of something that needs reform, really.
07:01They say that, you know, it is good because people that are in rented properties can bring in their
07:06pets and maybe people who used to be homeless and are going into their first rented property
07:11can still bring their pet. And having a pet is a brilliant way to help them reach those services
07:16that they need. But to speak on it himself, I'll let you hear from Michael Bourne now.
07:21Yeah, so for me, having a pet is a fundamental part of life. And for many people, that can be their
07:30solitary or best friend in their life. And to ask them to give a pet up whilst they're going through
07:36probably one of the more vulnerable stages of their life, whether that's coming in to support
07:39an accommodation project, whether that's moving out of homelessness or through homelessness into
07:45their own accommodation. And to ask someone to give up a pet at that point is a really massive
07:50decision and actually becomes a barrier for some people accessing services.
07:54And Kristen, in terms of more of the animal side of things, what's the opinion of the RSPCA?
07:59Well, the RSPCA are currently having their Adoptober, which is their outreach to get more pets
08:06adopted, really. They say that they believe that the change could revolutionise pet rehoming in England
08:13at a time when many of its rescue centres are full to bursting. Last year, they found new homes for
08:19almost 70 animals a day, but they had the highest ever intake during the summer. So they really think
08:25that this is a fantastic thing and could help animals being rehomed and less animals coming in.
08:31I see. Well, thank you so much for bringing us this, Kristen.
08:35Now, continuing to celebrate Black History Month, Medway Culture Club held a special film screening
08:40of Barrel Children, the families Windrush left behind. The film by Nadine White explores how children
08:46of the Windrush generation faced challenges and trauma when their parents had to migrate to the UK
08:50without them. Organisers say it's important to open up about these problems. Our community reporter,
08:56Henry Luck has more. The Glass Box Theatre in Medway hosted an important event as part of Black History
09:05Month, specifically about a generation that's often forgotten. Medway Culture Club hosted a film
09:14screening of the documentary Barrel Children, the families Windrush left behind, exploring a generation of
09:23children separated from their parents who had to migrate to the UK for better job opportunities.
09:31Members of the Windrush generation have shared their voices here at the Glass Box Theatre in Medway
09:40about a period of time they believe needs to be discussed more.
09:45My dad prompted me to make this film and, you know, all of those themes, I feel, should be discussed
09:51more widely, both nationally, internationally, but also within our communities. We don't have these
09:56discussions as much as I think we should and there are very good reasons for that. As Darnell said,
10:01you know, trauma, you know, survival, self-preservation, but nonetheless it's important to have these
10:07discussions. The term Barrel Children came about as the parents sent supplies to them through barrels
10:16containing essentials and other products. We have many people in Medway who resonate with the Windrush
10:22generation either as descendants or first hand and so we had someone on stage who resides in Medway and
10:29shared her story of migration, identity and belonging as a Medway resident but also of someone who migrated
10:36here as a child and has raised her family here. So I think it's important for us to recognise the
10:42contributions of the Windrush generation but also pass down those oral histories to future generations
10:48living here in Medway. This event has encouraged these children, now turned adults, to speak about
10:56these challenging memories. I think for me probably trauma was the social divide because different class, my father was working class
11:09and the parents different class and for me I only knew, only knew my mum's parents only because I've been
11:19set my grandmother because my dad, my granddad was a politician. Nadine White is now working on a second
11:28instalment to this series focusing on the effects of separation during this time period ensuring this
11:36conversation is far from over. Henry Luck for KMTV in Medway.
11:44Well, looks like that's all the time we have for now. See you after this very short break.
14:49Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight live here on KMTV. Now in breaking news, three more Reform UK Kent County councillors
15:19have been expelled from the party as the drama continues at Sessions House. This comes after
15:23two councillors were expelled over the weekend. To tell us more about this, our local democracy
15:28reporter Olly Leader brings us this breaking news. So Olly, break down the latest for us.
15:33Well, Finn, this is coming in just about 15 minutes before our program started. Not enough time to actually
15:40reach out to the councillors in question, but we did get a statement from Reform UK HQ, the central party,
15:47and they basically say at the request of the leader of the Kent County Council, Councillor Brian Black and
15:52Councillor Paul Thomas, they were called to this meeting with officials from Reform HQ to find a
15:58way forward. I mean, lots of obviously backbench clashes with the leadership. We saw that in the
16:03League's Guardian video. Dominating headlines over the last few weeks. And following the meeting,
16:10the scene has been made, not just to expel Councillor Black and Councillor Thomas, but also Councillor Oliver
16:17Bradshaw, who was in that wave of initial four suspensions that we saw last week, when that Guardian
16:24video showing Lindencam Karen clashing with her backbenchers leaked over the weekend. Those four
16:30councillors supposedly under investigation for that leak. Another one of those councillors being Bill Barrett,
16:38who was expelled over the weekend, is yet more expelsions. And Reform aren't mincing words either,
16:45Finn. These individuals, they say, have shown a pattern of dishonest and deceptive behaviour,
16:51which the party will not tolerate from its elected officials. Blimey. This is very strong language.
16:59Obviously, when we spoke to Paul Thomas last week, he said that he would be exonerated by an
17:05investigation. He said he'd done nothing wrong, as has Bill Barrett, as did Robert Ford expelled over
17:11the weekend. He was obviously suspended for different reasons in relation to unofficial
17:17complaints from KCC female staffers. He denies all wrongdoing on that count as well. But it's clear
17:25there's still more drama bubbling away under the surface at Sessions House. I see. We haven't got
17:31much time left, Dolly, but I'm aware this isn't the only breaking news on the subject to us a bit more.
17:34So, obviously, today as well, Lindencam Karen has broken her silence to the other council leaders.
17:39Obviously, they didn't get the best rap on that behind-the-scenes meeting that the Guardian gave
17:44us the insight to. She basically wrote to all the other council leaders, explaining a bit more about
17:52the context behind that video and her strong feelings about a government reorganisation as well.
17:57I see. Thank you so much for bringing us this breaking news, Olly. We really appreciate it.
18:02Right. Now, it's down to Whitstable, where Kent County Council have blocked controversial plans for
18:11a 1,350 home estate in Whitstable. That is, of course, the Brooklyn Farm in Chestfield near the town.
18:20It was labelled not fit for purpose as plans failed to reconsider traffic and congestion on key roads
18:27along the old Thanet Corridor. The developers said 10% of the estate will be reserved for older
18:31persons accommodation and 34 affordable homes, but it won't progress until transport provisions are
18:37improved. Whitstable residents have opposed the plans and launched a campaign, Save Brooklyn's
18:41Farmland, to protect the agricultural beauty and wildlife.
18:46In more news, a date has been revealed for the installation of the first ever female Archbishop
18:51of Canterbury. Dame Sarah Mullally will be installed as the Archbishop on March this year
18:56in a traditional ceremony known as the Feast of Annunciation in the Cathedral. It'll mark the
19:01symbolic start of her public ministry. And a statement from the Church of England said,
19:06we look forward to celebrating the diversity of the nation.
19:11Now, we're going to bring you some more news. And this is all about AWAB's law. It's a new legal
19:17precedent that states that landlords now have to respond to emergency living situations within 24
19:21hours of the tenants' concerns. We ended up on Rochester High Street speaking to individuals about this.
19:27We need to step up the prices. You pay them so much money a month for your operator. You want
19:35it up to your standards, not the landlord's standards. I know, I mean, I suffer with chronic
19:41asthma and I know it's like with moulds, you know, for me. But that poor little one, he just
19:46breaks apart. Every child has the rights of being in a safe, healthy place, to be honest. Everyone deserves
19:52a chance. I don't know what landlords can get away with. I've heard some horror stories about people
19:59that I think are good landlords. And they've told me that they've been taken for a ride by by their
20:05tenant. So it does work in the other direction. But if any issue comes up within within the house,
20:11that's the renting house to people. So yeah, I think it's a very, it's a very good step in the right
20:16direction for both the landlords and both tenants. And it's any law is only as good as the ability to
20:24enforce the law. Take more notice of tenants. Because a lot of landlords, what I've heard,
20:29they just ignore it or put it off. Or they put it down or haven't got the money. But when do you see
20:35a poor landlord? Apologies, viewers, I meant to say that was Gillingham High Street for you Keane
20:40Medway residents. You might have noticed that. Now in some more news, the adoptive mum of double
20:46amputee Tony Hudgel has revealed the heartbreak of realising she won't be able to see her son grow
20:50up following her terminal cancer diagnosis. Tony was adopted by Paula and Mark Hudgel as a baby
20:56after surviving severe abuse from his biological parents. He became known nationally during lockdown
21:02for raising over a million pounds for the children's hospital that saved his life walking
21:06on prosthetic legs. Paula was first diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2022. And after thinking she was
21:12clear, she's now revealed it has spread to her lungs and is incurable. Maisie Walker joins me
21:18about a very difficult story. Can you walk me through the process of how this diagnosis came about?
21:24Yeah, so Paula is from West Morling. And she was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2022. But after
21:30chemotherapy treatment, she thought she was clear of the disease. However, in the summer, she announced
21:36that it had actually returned, this time spreading to her lungs and is now incurable. She said after
21:42feeling the best I have in years, I've now been hit with heartbreaking news that the cancer has returned.
21:47And this time it's also in my lung. It's been diagnosed as stage four, which is the highest level,
21:53also known as secondary or metastatic cancer. She said that it has been a huge shock and it's taken
22:01some time for them to get their heads around it. But she is ready to give this the biggest fight of
22:07her life. I see. And how have the family been coping? Well, Paula told the Mirror that it's been
22:12hard for all of us to get our heads around. But I'm trying to prepare the children as much as possible.
22:18In fact, she was on a school run with Tony last week, and he turned the radio up because there was a
22:23love song playing that he liked. He told me he was going to have it at playing at his wedding. And when it
22:29hit her that she won't be at his wedding. She had tears for him, but it hurt so much that she won't
22:34ever see him grow up or get married. I see. And tell me a bit about what they've accomplished over
22:40the years. Yeah. So, you know, her son has had quite a difficult past. He was left fighting for
22:46his life after suffering abuse at the hands of his biological parents and had to undergo surgery
22:51due to his injuries. He suffered several fractures that led to sepsis and toxic shock syndrome,
22:59when he was just 41 days old. These were life changing injuries that resulted in both of his
23:05legs being amputated. But he was inspired and gained national fame during lockdown when walking
23:13on prosthetic legs, which raised more than £1 million for the London Children's Hospital.
23:19I see. Thank you so much for bringing us this story, Maisie.
23:22Now, we're going to take a look at all your sports headlines from around the county.
23:29Now, first, Gillingham FC has pulled out their reserve goalie after an early injury against
23:41Salford City. Jake Turner came off the bench for the Gills on Saturday to fill in for Glenn Morris,
23:47though Morris was assessed and given the green light to play. His game was over after he took a
23:51goal kick in the first two minutes. Turner made a good save at 2-0 down, but unfortunately,
23:56the game ended 2-1 to Salford. The club said if Morris is sidelined again, they'll likely call
24:02on keeper Tate Holtam and Gillingham will play Newport County this weekend for the first round
24:06of the FA Cup. We can now hear from the assistant manager, Richard Dobson, who spoke after the match.
24:12Yes, we need to be a little bit more clinical when we get the chances. I thought Seb had scored,
24:18and I think it was a good save, actually. It was given as a goal kick. But we've got into good areas.
24:24It's not like we're hoping for a 25-yarder to end up in the top corner. We've got through,
24:30we've seen the whites of the keeper's eyes, and we haven't put the ball in the back of the net.
24:33If Daki scores that one, when we've got a little bit of momentum with the penalty, then it's probably
24:41a very different game. But you miss a penalty, and as so often happens, you miss a penalty,
24:45and then shortly later they break away and score. And all of a sudden, what should be 1-0 turns into
24:512-0 and you've got a mountain to climb. Next, rugby now, and Canterbury lost to Bury St Edmunds
24:56in the National League. Last weekend, Canterbury lost 40-43 to Bury St Edmunds in their first home
25:03loss of the National 2 East season. The game did start strong for Canterbury, who by the end of
25:09the first half were leading nine points ahead. Canterbury players lost momentum in the second
25:14half, and after three yellow cards, Bury took the lead on the cusp of half-time. At the last quarter,
25:19pressure increased after another penalty and a final touchdown from Gary Jones was not enough to save
25:25the game. Canterbury's next league game will be on November 8th. Now, Kent County hopes were dashed
25:32in the £20,000 final of Premier Greyhound Racing, the Kent Derby at the Central Park Stadium in
25:38Sittingbourne. Trainer Jack Russell, who won last year's Derby, placed third, while Suffolk's Patrick
25:44Jansons claimed his third Kent Derby win. This makes Jansons the first trainer to win a Kent Derby
25:49hat-trick, winning this year's edition with the Greyhound Romeo Tomcat. This marked the eighth
25:54open race win in a row for Romeo Tomcat, who has gone unbeaten since July, the second major win
25:59of his career after he previously won the Yorkshire Derby just last month. And over the weekend,
26:06Martha Trust held a charity golf day at Prince's Golf Club in Sandwich, raising £12,000 in the process.
26:1222 teams took part in the golf challenge in aid of the Martha Trust, a charity that supports people
26:17with profound disabilities. By the end of the day, £12,000 were raised in total,
26:23sorry, £3,900 of which was raised through a charity auction. The Trust team said they're incredibly
26:28grateful to the golf club and the community for rallying around them to create such a special day.
26:33And that's all we have for your sports news.
26:47And that's all we have for this part. We'll catch up with you after this short break.
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30:14TV. I'm Finn McDermott and here are your top stories on Monday 27th October.
30:20History in flames. Emergency services were called to put out fire on listed building
30:25in North Fleet. Renters' rights. A new law means landlords won't be able to say no pets
30:30without a solid reason why. And we mustn't leave this generation behind. Medway Culture
30:36Club hosts film screening remembering Windrush Barrel Children for Black History Month.
30:42Now a large fire broke out at the former Portland's factory club near Gravesend. Emergency services
30:48were called last night to put out the flames coming from the historic building and the
30:52North Fleet High Street where the club is located remains closed. Our reporter Alfie Rowe has
30:56more.
30:59The blaze was intense and the building historic. Though an emergency crew including eight fire
31:04engines worked through the night to save the grade two listed building, only when the dust
31:09settled on the North Fleet fire, did the true scale of the loss become clear.
31:14Absolutely appalling. It's the worst day in North Fleet's history since the war. The loss
31:19of a building of this importance.
31:21Just before 11.30pm last night, fire crews were called to put out a flame which had engulfed
31:27the Portland's factory club building behind me. Now although the flame has been put out and
31:31severe structural damage has been avoided, as you can see the high street is still cordoned
31:36off. Although empty for more than 30 years, the property was once a hub for the area and
31:41has a history dating back centuries. For this reason, the disruption runs deeper than a few
31:47temporary roadblocks, according to local historian and guide Christopher Bull.
31:52It was opened in 1878 and it was built by Thomas Bevan, the owner of the North Fleet Cement Works.
32:00It was built especially as a three-dimensional advert to show what bricks and concrete could
32:08do, what it could build. This is a building full of detail, architectural detail, interesting
32:17building. Absolutely a great loss and sadly that most people in North Fleet don't even realise it.
32:24In their latest update, Kent Fire and Rescue Service said,
32:27Crews are continuing to advise those travelling in the North Fleet area to avoid the high street
32:31due to road closures from firefighting operations. Asked for comment, Kent Police added,
32:36Emergency services remain at the scene and the high street adjacent to the damaged building,
32:41along with part of the factory remain closed. An investigation is underway into the cause of the fire.
32:46But what is certain is that a slice of Gravesham history has been lost forever.
32:51Alfie wrote for KMTV in North Fleet.
32:57And North Fleet wasn't the only area hit by fires this weekend. A historic Fabersham building also caught fire.
33:03The Pottery Room in Standard Quay, Fabersham caught fire in the early hours of Sunday morning,
33:08leaving several businesses destroyed. The former commercial port is home to several shops and eateries,
33:13but despite efforts made to tackle the blaze, the old age of the wooden structure was quickly consumed by the flames.
33:20Reacting to the fire on social media this morning, the owners of the Pottery Room said,
33:24Any future bookings will be cancelled for the foreseeable future. We are absolutely gutted.
33:29Now, have you ever wanted to get a pet in your rented home but couldn't?
33:33Well, this could soon change as a new renters' rights bill has reached the final stage, just waiting for royal assent.
33:39This means landlords could no longer impose blanket bans on keeping pets in private rental properties.
33:45But do people in Kent think this is necessarily a good thing?
33:48Well, we asked those on Rochester High Street what they made of the news.
33:52Yeah, I think renters should definitely have the right to have an animal or a pet.
33:57It's good for well-being, it's good for the children, and I think it's part of your rights as a tenant to be able to have a pet.
34:06Definitely.
34:07It's the case for a conversation, really. I know now things are so impersonal because you go through the agents and so on,
34:13and the agents do most of the vetting before you actually even have a chance to talk to the prospective tenant.
34:21I agree with that. I was going to say my mother lived in a ward and assisted place and they weren't allowed to have pets
34:30and I thought that was a bit terrible as she owned the property as well.
34:36I think a lot of people are either dependent on it for, like, their lifestyle, to go for walks,
34:42it's their reason to go out, it's to have a pet, or it's a member of the family.
34:46So, in general, yeah, I think they should be allowed in rented properties, yeah.
34:52I disagree with the government telling me, the landlord, what I can and cannot do in my house.
34:59Too much government regulations, it's ridiculous.
35:07If your renter has, let's say, a car and puts the car on the drive,
35:14you wouldn't expect the landlord to pay the insurance on the car, would you?
35:20People that maybe live alone, they give a source of comfort and less loneliness,
35:24so, yeah, I think, you know, if they're a pet, they're part of your family, then, yeah, they should be allowed in your home.
35:31Well, joining me now is Kristen Hawthorne, who's been finding more about the local opinion on the change.
35:36Now, you've been speaking with those from the Kenwood Trust, I believe.
35:39Tell me, what did they say?
35:41Well, I was speaking to them today and I went down to the John Chadwick house
35:46and I was speaking to some of the residents there and one owner of a dog,
35:51which you'll find all about soon enough this week,
35:55he said that having the dog has really helped him with his recovery
36:00and without it that he would really struggle accessing services.
36:03I also spoke to the manager, the resettlement manager of the company
36:07and you can hear from him now.
36:10Yeah, so, for me, having a pet is a fundamental part of life
36:15and for many people, that can be their solitary or best friend in their life
36:20and to ask them to give a pet up whilst they're going through probably one of the more vulnerable stages of their life,
36:25whether that's coming in to support an accommodation project,
36:28whether that's moving out of homelessness or through homelessness into their own accommodation
36:33and to ask someone to give up a pet at that point is a really massive decision
36:38and actually becomes a barrier for some people accessing services.
36:41They did say something that was missing from the bill was this only covers private rental properties
36:48so those who are in social housing or, you know, halfway houses,
36:52they won't be able to get pets as the bill currently stands.
36:57So that is something that they think needs to be changed
36:59but they do think that this is a good change and a step in the right direction.
37:02I see, and we've been talking about people's rights to have a pet in this rented accommodation.
37:07Let's hear more about what this means for the animals.
37:09Tell us what the RSPCA said, sorry.
37:12The RSPCA have made it very clear that they think that this could revolutionise pet rehoming in England
37:18at a time when many of its rescue centres are full to bursting.
37:21We are coming to the end of their Adoptober campaign,
37:25which is where they try to get more people to adopt pets
37:28and so they think it's a brilliant thing that could really add a lot
37:32and prevent animals from, more animals from being put into adoption centres
37:38and get more animals taken out of them by people adopting.
37:41I see, brilliant. Thank you so much for your time, Kristen.
37:44Next, would you get on a bus which drives all by itself without a driver?
37:50I think if you've seen my driving you probably would.
37:52Well, this is the idea that was demonstrated down in Margate last Friday
37:57at the third annual Self Driving Industry Awards.
38:00This was along with the Self Driving Shuttle.
38:03There was also a bus and even a singing robot.
38:06Our reporter, that is of course Chloe Brewster,
38:09went down to find out how these could change the future of travel,
38:12not just in Kent but also all around the county.
38:16Let's have a look at that report now.
38:18I'm here in Margate, no, not for the fish and chips,
38:25for the 2025 Self Driving Vehicle of the Year Awards here at the Turner Centre.
38:29Now, I'm going to go check out some autonomous tech.
38:31The annual Self Driving Industry Awards by Cars of the Future
38:34attracts some of the best automated vehicles in the world to Kent.
38:37The Omnio Shuttle won the top award last year.
38:39Despite its cute appearance, the Shuttle is intended for large-scale passenger transport
38:43while boasting totally green tech.
38:46Using sensors, cameras and AI-powered obstacle detection,
38:49the Shuttle intends to navigate university campuses,
38:52city centres and airports totally on its own.
38:55It doesn't even have a steering wheel.
38:57A slightly more familiar vehicle is the automated bus.
38:59While it looks identical to your normal town bus,
39:01this vehicle intends to eventually operate entirely without a driver.
39:05Well, we've already actually deployed autonomous buses already
39:09in several places in the UK.
39:11The whole important thing about this is to make sure
39:13that passengers have a seamless journey and it's not a rollercoaster ride.
39:18It's quite a sedate, calm autonomous bus service.
39:22Self-driving vehicles aren't just a bit of sci-fi fun.
39:25The industry leaders here told me they hope the developments could help
39:28to reduce road deaths, improve driving accessibility
39:30and contribute to grid energy efforts.
39:32You take away the driving task that's handled by the technology.
39:37So you free up huge amounts of time.
39:40You can increase accessibility for people that can't drive.
39:44That's one of the big promises.
39:46And that brings its own challenges.
39:48So you have to talk about people with disabilities
39:52and how you communicate with them, potentially when there's no driver on board.
39:57But the biggest factor is the safety.
40:01The more data that you gather, it is a game-changer for safety.
40:07There's over a million road deaths globally.
40:10Every year, a million.
40:12And this technology can solve that.
40:14By 2035, 40% of new cars in the UK could have self-driving capabilities.
40:19But would you trust technology taking the wheel in Kent?
40:22You've got Sam's in Sunderland, Cambridge Connector.
40:25And I would love to bring that to this part of the world.
40:29And I'd love to see something like the Omeo shuttle going along the seafront.
40:33Chloe Brewster for KMTV in Margate.
40:36Now let's have a look at the weather while we're getting around in our self-driving vehicles.
40:41Well, it'll be a fairly cloudy evening across Kent with us seeing the temperature sitting at around 11 degrees,
40:51a slight exception in the northeast at about 10.
40:53Now tomorrow morning, the temperature bumps up almost across the board ever so slightly to 12 degrees,
40:58Dartford dropping to 9.
41:00And in the afternoon, the clouds look to clear slightly
41:02as the temperature increases to highs of 14 degrees across the county.
41:06And here is your outlook for the coming days, including Wednesday looking mostly sunny, an average of 10 degrees.
41:11Thursday, clouds rolling in with us seeing 12 degrees throughout the day.
41:14And finally Friday, the highest temperatures of 14 degrees.
41:17Now it is time for a break.
41:26But coming up, we will take a look at some sport.
41:30I went down to the Champions League and the Europa League,
41:33but not exactly the kind of football match you might be thinking of.
41:36It is Subutio, a tabletop version of the game.
41:39Very fascinating. More flicking, less kicking.
41:42We can have a look at that just after this very short break.
41:45See you soon.
44:45Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight Live here on KMTV.
45:13Now plans to transform a former nightclub into an apartment complex of 34 homes in Tunbridge have been approved.
45:20The site had been vacant for eight years following the nightclub's closure as attempts by other developers to renovate the site had fallen through.
45:28Now a new design submitted by an applicant features 34 apartments with parking and refurbishments of the existing gym.
45:35It shares the outcome of the planning meeting on Facebook.
45:39Leader of Tunbridge and Mauling Councillor Matt Bowden explained he was pleased with the design, adding for years the site had been derelict and, according to him, a complete eyesore.
45:50Now more than 1,000 villagers have signed a petition to upgrade a dangerous zebra crossing on Maidstone Road in Nettlestead.
45:57The zebra crossing, located near the village hall and a preschool, has experienced several incidents and near misses this year that have endangered pedestrians.
46:05Residents feel that motorists are frequently ignoring the old-style crossing and would rather it be replaced with a signal crossing instead.
46:12Nettlestead Parish Council say they're working closely with KCC councillors on potential upgrades.
46:18Nettlestead's Councillor Green has said new measures have been tried but have not had any impact on drivers' behaviour.
46:25Don't forget you can keep up to date with all the latest stories from across Kent by visiting our website at kmtv.co.uk.
46:32There you'll find all our reports, including this one, about communities coming together for Hindu, Jain and Sikh festivals across the county.
46:40A warning, this report does contain bright flashing lights.
46:43From fireworks to food to faith.
46:48Festivities were in full swing last night at Gravesend Gurdwara, where Sikhs gathered to celebrate Bundichur Divas, or Prisoner Liberation Day.
46:58The day pays respect to the Sikhs guru, who was imprisoned before eventually being released alongside 52 Hindu princes.
47:06Its celebration pays respect to the values of justice, freedom and compassion, central to the Sikh faith.
47:13For many Sikhs across Kent, the day is sacred.
47:17Well, I regularly come to Gurdwara Sai and all friends come together to celebrate this festival.
47:24It's very important for us, we are coming from 60 Mile, from Foxton.
47:29I think this is like the central Gurdwara for Kent.
47:32It's worth the travelling and yes, they put on a massive community sort of atmosphere.
47:39Today, Sikhs are here in the Gravesend Gurdwara to celebrate Bundichur Divas.
47:44As you can see, it's quite busy here, and yeah, it's quite a special occasion for us.
47:49My cousin's sister here, she will be singing Shabbat for the special occasion.
47:56During the day, the temple hosted Kirtan, Sikh hymns and Katha, Sikh scriptures and history,
48:17with quiet moments for reflection and prayer throughout the day.
48:21Lit candles are a homage to Sikhs lighting the way for the Sikhs Guru to return home.
48:27And then, when the sun had set, a vibrant show of light.
48:33Bundichur Divas coincides with Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.
48:38Though sometimes Sikhs and Hindus celebrate both.
48:41Community took centre stage yesterday.
48:44Throughout the day, people are coming and going, coming and going.
48:47And I think probably in the evening now, the fireworks, we had around 5,000 people.
48:52We tried to make it a place where everybody is welcome.
48:55So people come and not just for prayer, but we have other activities.
48:59So it's become a hub for the community at large.
49:02And today you will have seen, not just Sikhs, but people from all faiths actually joining in the celebrations.
49:07As the autumn gloom sets in, events like Bundichur Divas continue to be a light against the darkness.
49:15Megan Shaw for Kane TV in Gravesend.
49:18Now it's time for a look at the weather.
49:25Well, it's a fairly cloudy evening across Kent with us seeing the temperature at around 11 degrees,
49:30a slight exception in the northeast with 10.
49:33Tomorrow morning, the temperature bumps up almost across the board, ever so slightly to 12 degrees,
49:37Darford dropping to 9.
49:38And in the afternoon now, the clouds look to clear slightly as the temperature increases to highs of 14 across Kent.
49:44And then here is your outlook for the coming days.
49:47Wednesday looks mostly sunny, an average of 10 degrees.
49:50Thursday, clouds rolling in with us seeing 12 degrees throughout the day.
49:53And finally on Friday, the highest temperatures, 14 degrees.
50:03And now, if you grew up in Kent during the 50s and 60s,
50:06you might have spent your Saturday afternoons playing out FA Cup ties on your living room floor with Subutio,
50:11a tabletop football game.
50:13But now it's grown from a child's game into a worldwide sport,
50:16with players from across Europe coming to Fabersheim for the Champions and Europa League.
50:20I went down to Fabersheim to watch the matches.
50:23You're two favourite teams fighting it out.
50:27They play whenever you arrange a cup tie in your own home every day.
50:32And who's the winner?
50:36Subutio was invented in Tunbridge Wells in the late 1940s, but don't let that fool you.
50:42Since then, it's gone on to become a renowned modern sport, with leagues across Europe.
50:46And following the success of a World Cup last year hosted in Kent,
50:49it's having its Champions and Europa Leagues held in Fabersheim.
50:53Now Subutio has most of the same basic ideas as normal football,
50:56even including a version of the offside rule.
50:58But the game mostly hinges on angles and strategy,
51:01rather than the power or physicality of regular football.
51:04Think more flicking, less kicking.
51:06I think a lot of people probably see it as the game that you had and played in your living room.
51:11And you might, you know, your dad might have got it for Christmas,
51:13and that's probably how most people recognise it.
51:15Where abroad it's definitely taken more as a sport.
51:17There's a lot more technical aspects to it in terms of the chess.
51:20You're thinking like five, six steps ahead a lot of the time, if not more.
51:24And then you've got a kind of a pool aspect where you're looking at angles.
51:27The players are on flat bases now, not curved bases.
51:30So they all go in straight lines. They don't fall over anymore, really.
51:34Now it might not look like the normal Champions League you're familiar with,
51:37but I assure you it is just as intense.
51:39Italy, Austria, Malta, Spain and Portugal.
51:42They've all sent their best down here to Fabersheim to compete.
51:45And since England are the host nation, that means we get one more team than normal.
51:49And two of them are based right here in Kent,
51:51hoping to make it past the group stage and into the final tournament.
51:55I would say across the country, Kent and Victor is the number four team.
51:59Lankton Green, the other Kent team, is number one
52:02because they've just got such a wide berth of good players.
52:05All of ours are very local.
52:07So, you know, we've been very proud to sort of build that up.
52:10We've got a very strong sense of community in our team.
52:12We're very welcoming to newcomers.
52:14We're very good at building up both the youth scene
52:16and the development scene for new players.
52:18That's kind of our specialty.
52:20So as a result, any new players who wish to get involved,
52:22I mean, we're the best team to go to for that.
52:24So we're very proud of that.
52:25Now, what surprised me most about the game was its speed.
52:28I managed to watch a match featuring the world-ranked number one player,
52:31Carlos Flores, who would run around the table at points to get a shooting angle.
52:35Some flicks were so fast it actually almost looked like a sort of dribbling with the figures.
52:40Kent and Victor's aim for the tournament was to get past the group stage,
52:43but they ended up losing against their first few opponents,
52:46finishing 12th out of 19 teams.
52:49In the end, the frontrunners, Italian club Lazio, won the Europa League,
52:53with Spain's AFT Turia and Belgium's racing white Wallua in second and third.
52:58This means just like football played on a pitch rather than a table,
53:01we were held back from a trophy by Italy and Spain.
53:04But at least like England's World Cup qualifiers,
53:06no matter how the Sabutio teams perform, they'll always be top of the table.
53:11Finn McDermott for KMTV in Fabersham.
53:16Now from playing on a table to playing on a pitch,
53:19let's see if Kent's football clubs had any more luck in their respective leagues.
53:23If you're a Gillingham fan, you'll know that unfortunately it was a loss for you.
53:27But there were victories for Ebbsfleet against Salisbury
53:30and many other clubs as well.
53:32We also take a quick look at the FA Trophy where Chatham Town,
53:36we can have a look and see how they did in that competition.
53:41Salisbury has stumbled out the gate this season.
53:43However, they've picked up form,
53:45winning two of the last three games,
53:46and looked continue as they come to Northfleet to face Ebbsfleet United.
53:51However, they'd received an early warning as the fleet thought
53:54they had found an opener just eight minutes.
53:56Peaked whipped delivery found Kwesi Appiah,
53:59whose shot turned in from close range by Dom Samuel,
54:02who strayed into offside position.
54:04After a tussle,
54:05Finlay Barnes skipped through Salisbury's midfield to release Appiah,
54:09whose chipped efforts bobbled just wide of the post.
54:12After a nice passage of play put Samuel in on goal,
54:18leading to the striker firing his shot straight at the keeper.
54:21However, their efforts didn't come in vain.
54:24As ten minutes into the second half, Chapman's deep delivery into the box
54:27flicked onto the head of Jake Hessenthaler,
54:29whose looping header left the White's keeper helplessly scrambling.
54:33Deep into stoppage time, Salisbury were desperate to salvage a point.
54:38Unfortunately for them,
54:39Buse was caught in possession by substitute Max Manketlau,
54:42who calmly converted from range, sealing the three points for the home side.
54:47Also in the National League,
54:50Tunbridge and Weston's Super Mayor drew 0-0.
54:52Maidstone beat Slough Town 4-1,
54:55and Worthington beat Dover Athletic 3-1.
54:58In League 2, Salford City narrowly beat Gillingham 2-1.
55:02For the FA Trophy,
55:04Chatnham Town beat Waltham Abbey 2-0,
55:07and Folkestone over Burgess Hill Town 4-1.
55:12In the Isthmann Premier,
55:14Dartford tops Cray Wanderers by 2,
55:16and Ramsgate and Carlston drew.
55:19Coming up in the FA Cup,
55:20Newport will face Gillingham,
55:22Buxton will face Chatnham Town,
55:23and Grimsby will face Eppsfleet.
55:26Coming up for the National League,
55:28Maidstone faces Tunbridge Angels,
55:30and Dover will face Chelmsford.
55:32And finally,
55:34Aveley faces Ramsgate,
55:35Dartford faces Welling,
55:36and Hashtag faces Folkestone and Victor.
55:39And that's it for our football roundup.
55:44Well, congratulations to Eppsfleet for that victory there.
55:47Not that I'm biased for the Kent teams or anything.
55:49Well, it looks like that is all we have time for.
55:53You've been watching Kent Tonight live here on KMTV.
55:56Don't forget there's always more news made just for Kent
55:59throughout the evening.
56:01And don't forget you can always keep up to date
56:03with the latest news from across your county
56:05by going on our website.
56:07I mean, where else?
56:08KMTV.co.uk.
56:10You can also keep us on your social timelines.
56:12That's by liking us on our Facebook and following us on our TikTok.
56:16And as always, if you have a story that you think we should be covering,
56:20whether it's sport, politics, music, film, or anything else from around the county,
56:25then please don't hesitate to get in touch.
56:27We also have a series of special programs in Victor Sport based in Kent,
56:31Kent Film Club, and the Kent Politics Show.
56:34You can watch those throughout the week or catch up with them on our website.
56:37But from me for now, have a very good evening and I'll see you soon.
56:40Goodbye.
56:41Goodbye.
56:42.
56:44.
56:48.
56:56.
56:57.
56:58.
57:00.
57:02.
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