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Catch up on all the news from across the county with Chloe Brewster.
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00:34Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight, live here on KMTV.
00:38I'm Chloe Brewster and here are your top stories on Tuesday the 24th of March.
00:43Business as usual, Canterbury businesses and local tourism impacted from the meningitis outbreak.
00:48And when you come out shopping, you're not in close contact with people, are you really?
00:52So I think people are beginning to understand.
00:55Cafe Crisis, emergency crews called to early morning fire on Strewd High Street.
01:00And finally, Save the Cats, and RSPCA Cattery is fundraising to save itself from closure.
01:06You know, our concern is if we do close, where do all of these cats go?
01:22But first, our top story this evening.
01:25It's now week two of the meningitis outbreak over in Canterbury and thousands have been vaccinated against it.
01:31But what are the scenes like in Canterbury?
01:33And with many students and residents still conscious of the outbreak, how has local tourism been faring?
01:38Well, our reporter Naila Mohamed went to Canterbury to find out.
01:41All over social media, Canterbury has been compared to a ghost town.
01:46Many are leaving the city and others are strongly encouraging people not to come and visit amid the outbreak,
01:52over fears of its spreading.
01:55But what is the reality on the ground?
01:58Well, it's week two of the meningitis outbreak and this is what Canterbury High Street looks like.
02:03Found just three miles from the Canterbury campus of the University of Kent,
02:08the High Street is busier than expected, full of tourists and residents alike.
02:13But how have local businesses been coping amid the outbreak?
02:17Basically, we are the tourist shops.
02:20So mostly our customers are like tourist base.
02:23So it directly got affected our business.
02:28We have seen like a drop in like last past week.
02:32And this week is also very quiet.
02:36See, things have been quite slow.
02:39Foot traffic is down by about sort of 25 percent and takings were down.
02:44I think it's a really good time to start coming back to Canterbury.
02:48It's safe.
02:49It's comfortable.
02:49All the businesses are open and ready to welcome you.
02:54Everyone's taken extra sort of precautions.
02:55So I think you can feel very safe and very comfortable coming back to Canterbury.
02:59We need you.
03:01Business being open as usual was a sentiment also shared by Alan Baldock.
03:06So I asked him, why was the High Street suddenly so busy?
03:09It's been quieter last week, to be honest, but I think people have got used to it now a little
03:13bit more.
03:14We know it's safe because energitis is not spread in the same way that Covid was spread.
03:19It's much, much harder to get energitis, much more about close contact.
03:24And when you come out shopping, you're not in close contact with people, are you, really?
03:27So I think people are beginning to understand.
03:34And only a few steps away from the High Street, towards the Cathedral, Canterbury gets even busier.
03:40As you can see behind me, it's absolutely bustling here in Canterbury.
03:44You've got a busker on one side.
03:45And all surrounding me, actually, you've got school trips and tourists and residents all enjoying this lovely sunny day.
03:52In fact, as I was walking through the High Street earlier, I came across three different school trips from other
03:57countries.
03:58And I had spoken to a few students as well.
04:00He said they're very excited to come and spend the week here in Canterbury.
04:04And with the new installation of the Archbishop being this Wednesday, is tourism back on the rise for this historic
04:10city?
04:11Nayla Mahamed for KMTV in Canterbury.
04:15With Canterbury set to host the installation of its Archbishop, Dame Sarah Mullally,
04:20tomorrow we spoke with Lisa Carlson from the Canterbury Business Improvement District
04:23about if people should be wary of visiting the city.
04:26So, obviously, the last week with the meningitis outbreak has been particularly challenging for our community.
04:32And our hearts go out to those who have been impacted by that, the students and their friends and their
04:38family.
04:38The impact on the city has been really devastating.
04:41So we saw about a 25, over 25 percent drop in footfall.
04:45At the beginning of the week, we saw language school group cancellations, hotel group cancellations,
04:51attractions, seeing cancellations, and just fewer people coming in.
04:56We saw about, you know, most of our businesses reported about a 50 percent drop in sales.
05:01And that's really challenging at this time of year because the sun came out last week.
05:05We're in the run-up to the Easter holidays.
05:07And we're off the back of a really challenging five or six years that businesses and their staff have faced
05:14with rising costs.
05:16And so we've been through the pandemic.
05:18We've now got, you know, an unstable situation politically and globally, uncertainty over energy prices,
05:25uncertainty over rising business costs, business rates, national insurance, you know, all of it.
05:30It means that even if we do see that footfall increase, businesses aren't making a lot of money right now.
05:36And so this time of year in the run-up to the Easter holidays is so, so important.
05:41So it really has been a challenging time.
05:43Should tourists be wary of coming into Canterbury, or would you say it's a celebration coming?
05:49It's a really important celebration that's happening here in Canterbury,
05:53as we welcome the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally.
05:58And we really look forward to her installation service tomorrow.
06:00There will be hundreds of people here, probably over 2,000 people here.
06:04Canterbury is a completely safe space.
06:06And I understand off the back of the pandemic, when something like a meningitis outbreak happens,
06:12people are concerned.
06:13And that makes complete sense.
06:15But it's absolutely fine.
06:16We've not heard any medical advice to indicate that we shouldn't gather, we shouldn't come out.
06:20And of course, Canterbury, you're never more than five minutes from a park or a garden.
06:24There's lots of outdoor space.
06:26There's fantastic hospitality.
06:27So if you just feel like you want to be outside, you can.
06:30But otherwise, come and explore.
06:33It's a beautiful city.
06:34And we welcome you.
06:36Now, the latest data on the outbreak says there have been no new meningitis cases
06:40linked to the original cluster in Canterbury for the second day in a row.
06:44The vaccine rollout has also been extended to Year 11 at the affected schools.
06:49It means 20 cases have been confirmed, with three still under investigation.
06:54Now, Swale Borough Council has upped safety measures at its HQ in Sittingbourne
06:58after anti-immigration protesters destroyed its council building.
07:02It comes after a meeting back in December that was thrown into chaos
07:05and was paused after members of the public disrupted proceedings
07:08and caused thousands of pounds of damage to the building.
07:11However, even the politicians that were targeted by the Rowdy demonstrators
07:14say the move could risk making public meetings feel less open
07:18or make the chamber look like, I quote, a Russian court.
07:21Maisie Walker joins me now to tell me more.
07:24So, can you just take us back to what happened for us to get to this point?
07:27So, in December, a council meeting at Swale Borough Council, as you said,
07:31had to be paused after members of the public disrupted proceedings
07:35shouting abuse at councillors.
07:38That night, £10,000 worth of damage was caused to the council offices
07:41in East Street, Sittingbourne.
07:44Lift doors were broken and a bathroom was flooded.
07:47The building was unable to open the next day
07:50and the scenes were even condemned in the House of Commons
07:53and we can take a look at some of that now.
07:59Thank you, Mr Speaker.
08:02I'm horrified to report to you and to the House as a whole
08:04that last night in Swale Borough Council, there were violent scenes
08:09as people wearing balaclavas in the public gallery itself
08:12violently intimidated councillors.
08:15They were threatening them, pelting them with eggs and missiles from the gallery.
08:21Mr Speaker, my honourable friend speaks very powerfully
08:24of the appalling actions which have taken place
08:28and I join him in condemning the actions of those involved.
08:35There was Kevin McKenna there at the beginning,
08:38a Labour MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey,
08:40but of course we can see there that the scene's being described as appalling.
08:43The disruption followed a debate on a motion to declare Swale
08:47a district, sorry, of sanctuary for refugees and asylum seekers
08:52and since then two children have been charged with criminal damage
08:56in connection with the vandalism
08:57and we can see some of the footage from that evening now.
09:01We say no, we say no, we say no, we say no, we say no, we say no, we say
09:07no, we say no, we say no.
09:08So as you can see now, there was significant damage
09:11in documents presented to the Council Economy and Property Committee
09:14on March the 19th, so the incident led to a thorough review
09:18of how public meetings are run.
09:22So what's the update now then, what's Swale Borough Council doing about all of this?
09:27So Swale Council is now increasing security
09:29after disruptions by these protesters against immigration.
09:35So new measures include radios for staff, CCTV covering the public gallery
09:40and body-worn cameras for security and council workers.
09:44Safe spaces have also been identified for councillors and staff.
09:48The council was also working with Kent Police on a risk rating system for meetings,
09:52including age restrictions for unaccompanied young people
09:57and bringing in a ticketing system for some sessions.
10:04And plans to move all meetings online were considered but ultimately rejected.
10:09But there is still ongoing review into installing a screen
10:12between the public gallery and the council chamber,
10:15as well as introducing mandatory ID checks.
10:18Amazing. Thank you so much for joining me, Maisie.
10:21Now, a nightmare neighbour who terrorised residents in Brooklyn
10:24has been caught in the act.
10:26Get off my property now.
10:29Get off my property.
10:31Get off of my property.
10:33Or what?
10:34The police are on their way.
10:37Folks in Magistrates Court heard how Anthony Merritt
10:39had repeatedly harassed residents in their homes.
10:42One couple were so impacted by the abuse,
10:44they say they were left feeling like prisoners in their own home.
10:47The 62-year-old also threw bricks at a gardener working outside the property.
10:52The court heard how Merritt had been suffering mental health issues
10:54at the time of the harassment.
10:56Merritt admitted to the fences in November
10:58and was later charged with three counts of harassment without violence,
11:01common assault and possession of cannabis.
11:04Now, motorists in Medway faced long rush hour delays this morning
11:08after a tunnel shut due to a power failure.
11:11The A289 Medway Tunnel shut in both directions
11:14between Antony's Way at Medway City Estate
11:16and Maritime Way at Chatham Docks.
11:18Medway Council confirmed the tunnel was closed
11:20following a power failure overnight and apologised.
11:23The tunnel has since reopened.
11:25A former Reform UK County Councillor who defected to UKIP
11:28has formed her own political party.
11:31Amelia Randall was elected in Reform's landslide victory
11:34at Kent County Council in May 2025
11:35but became the first to leave to vote for UKIP.
11:38The Fanatec Councillor has now launched her own party,
11:41Better Way Of, under the banner of patriotism and humanity.
11:44She now intends to register the party with the Electoral Commission
11:46before seeking new members.
11:49Now, it's time for a quick break
11:50but please don't go anywhere
11:51as we'll be giving you more news from across the county
11:54including a cap on vet bills and an update on a fire.
11:57Thank you so much. Join me soon.
12:17Thank you so much.
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15:23Hello and welcome back to Kent Tonight, live here on KMTV.
15:27In the early hours of the morning, a fire broke out at Ramos Café in Strewed High Street
15:32with emergency services arriving at the scene just after 4am.
15:35A police investigation has now been launched to determine the cause.
15:39To tell us more, Kristen Hawthorne joins us live from outside the café.
15:42Kristen, what are the details here?
15:46Yeah, well, like you said there, Chloe, an investigation has been launched
15:49into the cause of the fire, which started at around 4am this morning.
15:54A witness there, Josh Lowe, said that he was there around that time
15:58and fire crews arrived just at about 4.11am this morning.
16:04He told Kent Online that the building had thick black smoke coming from the front of it
16:08with an orange glow at the top.
16:10He said he heard things smashing and breaking inside.
16:14And before the fire brigade arrived, he heard those and a few minutes later they blocked
16:19off the road, which has now been reopened, which you might be able to see in some pictures
16:23on screen.
16:24In total, it's reported that at the height of the fire, seven fire engines and a hype
16:28vehicle were in attendance, with police, two more fire engines and several vans being used
16:33to block the A2 Strewed High Street.
16:36In a statement issued this morning by Ramos Cafe, they said,
16:40We regret to inform you that Ramos Cafe has suffered a fire and is temporarily closed.
16:44The safety of our staff and visitors is our top priority.
16:47We're assessing the situation and we'll provide updates regarding reopening and any alternative
16:52arrangements as soon as possible.
16:54We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding and support during
16:58this time.
16:59I did have a look into the window of the cafe at the front and the damage inside does look
17:05quite severe, so those alternative sites may be something that Ramos needs to look into.
17:14Next door is Lucky Star Gaming Amusement Centre, which has now been reopened along with the road,
17:20although this morning it was cordoned off with two police cars outside, but that has been
17:25reopened now.
17:26Two fire engines remained at the scene this morning as well, as they continued to expel
17:31the flames from the rear of the building, of which I'm standing at now.
17:37In an update issued by Kenton Fire Rescue at 9.30am, which is when the fire was fully expelled,
17:45they said work is now complete at the commercial building and crews were wearing breathing apparatus
17:52extinguishing the flames using hose rail jets and main jets, along with those
17:56seven fire engines and the Hype vehicle.
17:58Kent Police confirmed officers attended the scene and closed the high street, while fire
18:03crews extinguished the blaze, the fire.
18:06They have also confirmed that an investigation is now underway into the cause of the fire.
18:14Thank you so much for telling us about that, Kristen, and I really hope that cafe does open again soon.
18:22Now, a care home in Whitstable has been forced into special measures after residents were found to have rolled out
18:28of bed 19 times in one month.
18:32Bed rails were removed at Harrier Lodge without evidence of people being asked if they felt safe without them.
18:38The home had previously been rated inadequate because of this same reason.
18:42The Care Quality Commission report added that staff told inspectors that handovers were not always detailed and agency staff did
18:49not always know where to record incidents.
18:52But the provider, which runs the home, says it is challenging the rating and is calling for inspectors to return
18:58to a fairer evaluation.
19:00A man from Medway who's on trial after a teacher was killed in an alleged hit and run has denied
19:06seeing the victim in the road.
19:08Maidstone Crown Court heard how Jordan Bannon said he never saw a dancing and waving Ben Allen at the time
19:14of the collision on Station Road in Cliff near Rochester.
19:18The 33-year-old said that although he regretted his decision not to get out of his car to investigate
19:22what caused the loud bang and shattered his windscreen,
19:25he was not drunk, despite saying otherwise in police body-worn camera footage shown to the court.
19:31Bannon continues to deny he saw the man and argues that he has no recollection of any comments he made
19:36due to a hypoglycemic episode caused by his diabetes.
19:39And the trial there continues.
19:42A man planned to develop a former power station next to the Dartford Crossing into a clean energy hub is
19:48said to be taking shape.
19:50Aegis Energy has secured an electric HDV site at the former Littlebrook power station near the Amazon warehouse.
19:57Michael Shaw, Chief Executive of Aegis Energy, said Dartford sits at one of the UK's most important freight gateways.
20:04And infrastructure like this is essential if we want to support cleaner energy,
20:08cleaner transport, sorry, while keeping supply chains moving.
20:11Aegis Energy will begin preparing and submitting a planning application for the Littlebrook hub later this year.
20:17Now, vet prescription fees to be capped are to be capped, sorry, at £21 and practices will have to publicise
20:24price lists for services.
20:25That's what the UK's competition watchdog has said.
20:28The Competition and Markets Authority, the CMA, has said a price comparison website should also be introduced
20:34to help boost competition and drive down prices faced by the consumer.
20:39I spoke to a veterinary practice in the county at the beginning of the consultation for these measures.
20:43So we can take a look back at that report now.
20:49Whether you're an animal lover or prefer a fur-free home, I think we can all agree prices for everything
20:55have risen.
20:56But for the more than 10 million households in the UK that own a pet, the increasing costs have become
21:02all the more apparent.
21:03Vet bills have risen more than 60% in 10 years, with 80% of owners saying the cost of
21:09having their pet has increased.
21:10In response, the Competition and Markets Authority have proposed 21 new measures for the industry.
21:16The CMA's recent report found that vet bills have risen way above inflation.
21:21They've come up with a couple of solutions to try and keep prices low for consumers.
21:25Measures the CMA have proposed include capping prescriptions at £16, requiring vets to provide itemised bills,
21:32and encouraging owners to shop online for medicines rather than paying the prices in store.
21:37But here at Broadway Vets in Herne Bay, they say the answer just isn't that simple.
21:42They haven't fixed the problem, which is where we get our drugs from.
21:45In some areas of Europe, I think actually most of Europe, they get their drugs direct from the provider of
21:51the drug.
21:52In the UK, we have to buy from a wholesaler.
21:54So at every stage that product is touched by someone else, there's a markup on it.
21:59And every time there's a markup, by the time it gets to that end user, that price has gone up
22:03two, three, four times.
22:05I think it's really important that people understand what they're paying for.
22:08And I think the most important thing for us is that once we've had that conversation with how much that
22:13procedure costs,
22:14whatever it is, that we can have that dialogue with the customer and that we can interact on what the
22:20next steps are.
22:20Not only are the measures aimed at reducing prices, they also hope to make them much clearer from the outset.
22:27We're really supportive of the remedies in the report around transparency.
22:31I think it's really important for pet owners to know when they go into a practice who owns that practice,
22:36whether it's part of a large group or not.
22:39And I think that's really important.
22:41There are some remedies in there which are common practice already across the sector,
22:45such as providing people with itemised bills and written estimates before treatment is undertaken.
22:51There are some practices that aren't doing that, which is why the CMA have included it in their provisional remedies.
22:57This investigation has highlighted a lot of press pieces around the veterinary sector
23:02that can sometimes feel a bit hostile to the people working on the ground who don't control the prices
23:08and just want what's best for people's pets.
23:10These measures are provisional, with final reforms to be decided in March.
23:14While opinions are mixed in industry, we're sure pet owners are hoping for an improvement with the poor prices.
23:21Chloe Brewster for KMTV in Herne Bay.
23:24Now it's time to take a look at the sports news from across the county with our reporter Chloe Smith.
23:38It was an unfortunate weekend for Kent teams in League Two, with Gillingham's 2-1 defeat against Bristol Rovers,
23:44starting off strong with a penalty in the 16th minute taken by Ronan Hale, gaining the Gills a 1-0
23:49lead.
23:50The second half saw two more goals, both from Bristol, as Gillingham struggled to recover after conceding 12
23:55and scoring once in their previous three matches.
23:58Manager Garib Ainsworth continues to encourage the team, stating that I want them to realise how close they are.
24:03In the National League South, Dover wins 2-1 against Chelmsford City after replacing sidelined midfielder Ryan Hansen
24:09with Dover defender Jacob Mensah.
24:11Dover manager stated that after Mensah had come out the team a couple of weeks ago
24:15that he didn't really deserve to and we just felt we would change it up.
24:18Midway and Dartford Valley players Amelia Williams and Jasmine O'Donri are to be included
24:22in the England Women's Under-21 Rugby Squad for an upcoming development camp.
24:26The three-day session in Berkshire will also host Canada Under-21s for an opposed training
24:30in preparation for the Six Nations Under-21 Series.
24:34Head coach LJ Lewis stated that facing Canada provides a valuable opportunity to test our connections
24:39and that they're pleased to add Amelia, who has worked tirelessly through injury.
24:43Midway women also had great success in the NC1 Southeast against Aylesford Bulls ladies with a 34-14 win.
24:49Midway's dominance in the game left little room for Aylesford to compete, despite gaining two tries in the second half.
24:55The only disadvantage for the visitors being a collision between Esme Conway and Lucy Osborne,
24:59forcing both off the field in need of stitches.
25:02Ashford-born batsman Sam Northease returns to Kent Cricket Club after helping Glamorgan in their promotion last year.
25:08Northease states that his goal is to help Kent regain their top-tier status
25:12and that he wants to make sure that Kent is right up there with the top clubs in the country
25:16again.
25:16Rejoining on a two-year deal, Northease previously served as Kent captain from September 2015 to January 2018.
25:23Northease will return for his first game back against Durham on the 3rd of April, stating that it's going to
25:28be special.
25:29Chloe Smith for KMTV.
25:40And now let's take a look at the weather.
25:48Tonight, Kent will see clear skies with temperatures ranging from 6 degrees to 10.
25:53And then into tomorrow morning, it's expected to be a variety of sun and rain with temperatures of 6 to
25:597 degrees.
26:00Rolling into the night, you can expect to see light showers with hints of sunshine with temperatures staying around that
26:058 degree mark.
26:07And your outlook for the coming days consists of 9 degrees on Thursday with sunshine, 13 degrees of cloudy skies
26:12on Friday and 11 degrees on Saturday.
26:28Now it's time to take a short break, but we'll be back with another look at our top story this
26:34evening,
26:34where we'll be looking into the fallout of the Canterbury meningitis outbreak on local businesses.
26:39And we'll also be getting a recap on the numbers of meningitis in the area now.
26:44And then in the same vein, we spoke to the CEO of Kent in Victor Chamber of Commerce about so
26:49-called bad press in Canterbury
26:51and the rising fuel prices across Kent.
26:54See you in a bit.
26:55Thank you very much.
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30:34Hello and welcome to Kent Tonight, live here on KMTV.
30:38I'm Chloe Brewster and here are your top stories on Tuesday the 24th of March.
30:43Business as usual, Canterbury businesses and local tourism impacted from the meningitis outbreak.
30:49And when you come out shopping, you're not in close contact with people, are you really?
30:53So I think people are beginning to understand.
30:56Café Crisis, emergency crews called to early morning fire on Strood High Street.
31:01And finally, Save the Cats, an RSPCA Cattery is fundraising to save itself from closure.
31:07You know, our concern is if we do close, where do all of these cats go?
31:22It's now week two of the meningitis outbreak over in Canterbury and thousands have been vaccinated against it.
31:28But what are the scenes like there?
31:30And with so many students and residents still conscious of the outbreak, how has local tourism been faring?
31:35Well, our reporter Neela Mohamed went to Canterbury to find out more.
31:38All over social media, Canterbury has been compared to a ghost town.
31:44Many are leaving the city and others are strongly encouraging people not to come and visit amid the outbreak, over
31:50fears of its spreading.
31:52But what is the reality on the ground?
31:55Well, it's week two of the meningitis outbreak and this is what Canterbury High Street looks like.
32:00Found just three miles from the Canterbury campus of the University of Kent, the High Street is busier than expected,
32:08full of tourists and residents alike.
32:11But how have local businesses been coping amid the outbreak?
32:14Basically, we are the tourist shops.
32:17So mostly our customers are like tourist base.
32:21So it directly got affected our business.
32:25We have seen like a drop in like last past week and this week is also very quiet.
32:34See, things have been quite slow.
32:36Foot traffic is down by about sort of 25% and takings were down.
32:41I think it's a really good time to start coming back to Canterbury.
32:45It's safe.
32:46It's comfortable.
32:47All the businesses are open and ready to welcome you.
32:51Everyone's taken extra sort of precautions.
32:53So I think you can feel very safe and very comfortable coming back to Canterbury.
32:57We need you.
32:59Business being open as usual was a sentiment also shared by Alan Baldock.
33:03So I asked him, why was the High Street suddenly so busy?
33:06It's been quieter last week, to be honest, but I think people have got used to it now a little
33:11bit more.
33:11We know it's safe because meningitis is not spread in the same way that Covid was spread.
33:16It's much, much harder to get meningitis, much more about close contact.
33:21And when you come out shopping, you're not in close contact with people, are you, really?
33:24So I think people are beginning to understand.
33:31And only a few steps away from the High Street, towards the Cathedral, Canterbury gets even busier.
33:37As you can see behind me, it's absolutely bustling here in Canterbury.
33:41You've got a busker on one side and all surrounding me, actually, you've got school trips and tourists and residents
33:46all enjoying this lovely sunny day.
33:49In fact, as I was walking through the High Street earlier, I came across three different school trips from other
33:55countries.
33:55And I had spoken to a few students as well.
33:57He said they're very excited to come and spend the week here in Canterbury.
34:01And with the new installation of the Archbishop being this Wednesday, is tourism back on the rise for this historic
34:07city?
34:08Nayla Mahamud for KMTV in Canterbury.
34:12With Canterbury set to host the installation of its Archbishop, Dame Sarah Mullally, tomorrow,
34:17we spoke with Lisa Carlton from the Canterbury Business Improvement District about if people should be wary of visiting the
34:23city.
34:24So, obviously, the last week with the meningitis outbreak has been particularly challenging for our community.
34:30And our hearts go out to those who have been impacted by that, the students and their friends and their
34:36family.
34:36The impact on the city has been really devastating.
34:39So we saw about a 25, over 25 percent drop in footfall.
34:43At the beginning of the week, we saw language school group cancellations, hotel group cancellations,
34:49attractions seeing cancellations, and just fewer people coming in.
34:54We saw about, you know, most of our businesses reported about a 50 percent drop in sales.
34:59And that's really challenging at this time of year because the sun came out last week.
35:03We're in the run-up to the Easter holidays.
35:05And we're off the back of a really challenging five or six years that businesses and their staff have faced
35:12with rising costs.
35:14So we've been through the pandemic. We've now got, you know, an unstable situation politically and globally.
35:20Uncertainty over energy prices, uncertainty over rising business costs, business rates, national insurance, you know, all of it.
35:28It means that even if we do see that footfall increase, businesses aren't making a lot of money right now.
35:34And so this time of year in the run-up to the Easter holidays is so, so important.
35:38So it really has been a challenging time.
35:41Should tourists be wary of coming into Canterbury?
35:44Or would you say it's a celebration coming?
35:47It's a really important celebration that's happening here in Canterbury as we welcome the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah
35:55Mullally.
35:56And we really look forward to her installation service tomorrow.
35:58There will be hundreds of people here, probably over 2,000 people here.
36:02And Canterbury is a completely safe space.
36:04And I understand off the back of the pandemic, when something like a meningitis outbreak happens, people are concerned.
36:11And that makes complete sense.
36:13But it's absolutely fine.
36:14We've not heard any medical advice to indicate that we shouldn't gather, we shouldn't come out.
36:18And, of course, Canterbury, you're never more than five minutes from a park or a garden.
36:22There's lots of outdoor space.
36:24There's fantastic hospitality.
36:25So if you just feel like you want to be outside, you can.
36:28But otherwise, come and explore.
36:30It's a beautiful city.
36:32And we welcome you.
36:34Now, the latest data on the outbreak says there have been no new meningitis cases linked to that original cluster
36:41in Canterbury.
36:42That's for the second day in a row.
36:45The vaccine rollout has also been extended to Year 11s and the affected schools.
36:49That's in addition to those who are at the University of Canterbury Christchurch or University of Kent and sick formers.
36:55That means also that 20 cases have been confirmed.
36:59And there's also three still under investigation.
37:03Now, has the meningitis outbreak caused bad press for Kent's only city?
37:07And what could rising fuel prices mean for those across the county wanting to fill up their car?
37:12These are the two pressing questions that I put to the CEO of the Kent and Victor Chamber of Commerce
37:18earlier on today.
37:20So, Tudor, first of all, what is the impact of something like meningitis and all the bad press around Canterbury
37:27on businesses there?
37:31I think you said the word there, bad press.
37:33I mean, unfortunately, that's that's what travels furthest and the fastest.
37:37You know, whatever the sort of genuine situation on the ground, it's the anxiety that's caused by that sort of
37:44word of mouth and that sort of promotion, if you like, around the around sort of the broadcast sphere.
37:51What happens, of course, is we see an immediate impact with cancellations of bookings.
37:56So, hotel rooms, tourist visitor attractions and, of course, people sort of start to sort of change reservations or move
38:03things back.
38:04I'm pleased to see that quite a lot of people that we've spoken to in the area have actually had
38:10bookings deferred.
38:11So, you know, they've either offered a sort of a voucher or a gift card.
38:15So they will hopefully still see that business come back in.
38:18But certainly in the short term, there's been an immediate hit straight away.
38:22Thanks so much. And another thing that everyone across Kent will be noticing at the moment is fuel prices.
38:28Filling up your car is so expensive at the moment.
38:31Can you tell us a little bit about why that is?
38:35Well, so as many of us will have seen, of course, there's a sort of conflict in the Middle East.
38:41Iran is actually the third largest producer of oil.
38:44And, of course, all that oil has to come down through the sea and then get around to us where
38:48it's then turned into fuel and diesel and petrol.
38:51And, of course, if it's not getting out of the country, then, of course, it's not long before the tanks
38:55start to run dry here in the UK.
38:57And, of course, it's not just the price of the pump, but obviously the things that oil goes into.
39:02So the number of plastics, fertilisers.
39:04And, of course, that means that there's less of it about.
39:07So the price goes up because it's a more sort of scarce resource.
39:10And that, of course, has an impact on a lot of different aspects, whether that's farming, food production, manufacturing and
39:16so forth.
39:17So the longer the conflict goes on, unfortunately, the more it'll cost us.
39:22And what sectors are being hit the hardest at the moment with the increasing fuel costs and also the energy
39:27costs?
39:29So it's more to do with the immediate impact has been around the petrol pump price, I guess, really.
39:37So haulage companies, distribution companies, anyone that sort of burns fuel to sort of generate the energy.
39:43That has the immediate hit because the price went up literally overnight as soon as the warplanes went in.
39:50You can see the costs rise.
39:52Things like food, obviously, the price of fertiliser is going to go up as the manufacturing of that costs more
40:00because of the sort of lack of the oil.
40:02That then gets passed on to the farm and the farmers will then have to sort of pass that on
40:06to the consumer through increased product prices.
40:09So all in all, I think, you know, we will still have some knock-on effect, even if this conflict
40:14wraps up overnight.
40:15I think there's a lot of confusion in the communication about when prices are going to go up and what
40:22is actually going on.
40:23We hear from Trump that there is peace on the horizon and we're hearing from Iran that there isn't.
40:29How does it work with when we have these huge international players communicating with the public?
40:37How does that impact the markets?
40:38How does that impact what people are actually going to be paying on a day to day basis?
40:43So the way in which the markets operate is that they take a view as to how available or unavailable
40:50a particular commodity is,
40:51whether that's oil, gas, coal, minerals, whatever it might be.
40:56So if a market trader hears that there could be a shortage of oil because it's not getting out of
41:02the ground because of the conflict,
41:04they will immediately assume that there's going to be less oil available.
41:07Therefore, they put the price up to try and maximise the return they can get on what's left.
41:13So it's around the scarcity and availability of a particular product.
41:16And that's really what happens is to do with the market, getting anxious about the availability of a particular product
41:22or commodity.
41:23All the time that Trump comes up and says we're going to carry on or we're going to stop,
41:27it then has an immediate effect on the concerns and anxiety of a market trader.
41:31And unfortunately, that's how a lot of our sort of global economy now operates.
41:36Now it's time for a quick break before our final segment of the evening.
41:40But stay tuned as we'll have more Kent stories, including about a scout team set to be the first to
41:46undertake an organised expedition project to the North Pole.
41:49Yes, you heard that right, the North Pole.
41:51Johnny Depp was also been sighted in Maidstone filming his latest project.
41:56All that and more after this short break.
41:59Goodbye.
42:00Goodbye.
42:07Goodbye.
42:35Goodbye.
42:46Goodbye.
42:48Goodbye.
42:49Goodbye.
42:54Goodbye.
42:55Goodbye.
42:56Goodbye.
42:57Goodbye.
42:57Goodbye.
42:58Goodbye.
42:59Goodbye.
43:00Goodbye.
43:01Goodbye.
43:02Goodbye.
43:03Goodbye.
43:04Goodbye.
46:22And some of them are to do with arts and some of them are sort of historical research.
46:33So they're doing a whole mixture of projects.
46:37Amazing.
46:38And why was this specific location chosen over any of the others?
46:43Yeah, good question.
46:46So a hundred years ago, a scout went north with a very famous explorer at the time was Worsley.
46:59And he'd actually been south with Shackleton and he led his own expedition up to the north.
47:06So we wanted to 100 years later to follow what this scout had done.
47:10So that's why we chose to go up to the Arctic Circle and Svalbard.
47:16And of the scouts that are going to the Arctic Skirt Circle, what is that age range there?
47:23Yeah, so they're all going to be 18 by the time they go.
47:27So this is the sort of gold Duke of Edinburgh age.
47:30So and a few adult leaders as well.
47:33So we have expeditions to Africa that I run every year and those are 16 upwards.
47:40But with we felt with the polar regions, both with Antarctica and the Arctic, we'd go for 18 upwards.
47:50And how do you prepare the scouts for quite an intense mission?
47:54I can imagine going from training in Kent to training in near enough the North Pole must be quite a
48:01big difference.
48:03It's true. Yeah, they've done lots of different training activities, a lot of outdoor camping and stuff like that.
48:09You can't really prepare for those environments.
48:12I mean, short of locking yourself in a fridge for the day.
48:16But basically, for Antarctica, we did a lot of fitness training.
48:22So we did a lot of rowing and things like that before we went.
48:27So with the Arctic, they've got themselves ready to work as a team.
48:35But I think the challenge will be in the actual expedition itself.
48:40And what does it mean to you to be able to take your scouts away to these incredibly cool locations?
48:49I mean, I just get a lot of pleasure out of it.
48:52I love travel myself.
48:56And like I say, I run an expedition to Africa every year.
49:00So I take scouts out, take them to Kenya, to Ghana, to Zanzibar.
49:07Last year, we went to Botswana and worked with elephants.
49:10So, you know, so these remote regions, I just think it's all about developing character with these young people.
49:18And if they've been all the way through the scouting system, it's that sort of final challenge for them to
49:24do something like this.
49:27A once in a lifetime opportunity, I can imagine.
49:30Thank you so much, Alan.
49:31Oh, certainly.
49:32No problem at all.
49:35Now, don't forget, you can keep up to date with all the latest stories on kmtv.co.uk.
49:41There you can check out all of our previous stories, just like this one.
49:48This is not your average choir.
49:51Here, words take a back seat and your hands take centre stage.
49:55This choir is very different to all the others.
49:58There was no singing involved unless you want to.
50:01All the words instead are done with your hands.
50:03The most important part in communicating with people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
50:08Kisses with your back seat.
50:11Vision's signing choir meet up every Thursday evening in Jenningham to bring people together for one sole reason.
50:18To sign.
50:19And this choir creates a community where everyone is welcome.
50:24Like tonight, hearing, deaf, they can all come together, enjoy the music, whether they're feeling it, whether they've got hearing
50:31aids in.
50:32But we all mix together and we can sign and we can sing.
50:36Well, we don't really sing much.
50:38But we sign and we just enjoy the music and everyone can get together.
50:43Other members of the choir say that it provides a safe space for those who are deaf or hard of
50:48hearing.
50:49Especially when they may not have a space of their own.
50:52It would be nice to have more spaces where deaf people feel comfortable and where they can communicate in their
50:58own language
50:59and like feel a part of something because, you know, they've had a lot of oppression over the years.
51:05A lot of their spaces have closed down.
51:12This is Mina.
51:13She started to lose her hearing nine years ago and often feels judged when she's out in public.
51:19That's when she and her daughter joined the choir.
51:22You can tell people, sorry, can you face me? Can you speak clearly?
51:31And maybe for the first two minutes they will remember.
51:36But then they start to look away or they look down or they start to mumble.
51:44And when you keep, you can't keep asking them, can you repeat that? Can you repeat that?
51:51Because in the end you get, oh, never mind.
51:55So you just feel that, yeah, you're being judged.
52:02The choir is open to seasoned pros and beginners alike as they learn a new song almost every week.
52:09So I took this as an opportunity to learn some sign language myself.
52:21Though my signing does need some work, the environment allows for mistakes.
52:26And in a choir where voices aren't needed, the message of community is still being heard loud and clear.
52:33Naila Mahamed for KMTV in Jiligam.
52:43A major Hollywood star has chosen a Maidstone bar to be a new space for the film scene for an
52:49upcoming movie.
52:51Mew Mews, which is known for its unusual theatrical design, was chosen by Johnny Depp and his team for his
52:57new blockbuster, The Day Drinker.
52:59The story follows a private yacht bartender who meets a mysterious day drinker, drawing them into a criminal underworld.
53:07So this is a really interesting story.
53:09In the pub was a handmade figure of Jack Sparrow.
53:12It was meant to be, the owner said.
53:14It's like we were waiting for Johnny for 20 years.
53:18Now, after facing financial loss in the past year due to raising vet bills and cost of living, the Ashford,
53:25this isn't funny, the Ashford Card and Cattery is fundraising to stay open.
53:29They need to raise £50,000 to stay open until the end of the year and are urging the public
53:35to help.
53:35They've made significant progress, but is this enough?
53:38Our reporter Naila Mohammed went to cuddle some cats and find out.
53:42This is Tom.
53:44He's been at the Ashford Garden Cattery for around a month and is looking for a home.
53:49But if the cattery closes, it's likely he will have to move to another RSPCA branch outside of Ashford.
53:57This is the reality for all of the cats here in the cattery, all who are here for various different
54:03reasons.
54:03It could be because the owner can no longer afford to keep them, you know, the cost of living crisis
54:08and also the increase in vet costs, which is a big problem.
54:13And then, sadly, sometimes we do have cats.
54:16Sabrina, she's gone missing. There she is.
54:19Sabrina, who was sadly left on our doorstep in a carrier one evening last week.
54:25After facing a £30,000 loss in the last year, if Ashford Garden Cattery cannot raise the £50,000 it
54:32needs to stay open, it will be forced to close, taking the future of these cats out of their hands.
54:39And, you know, our concern is if we do close, where do all of these cats go?
54:44Where do they go? Because there's nowhere in Ashford Town Centre, based in the town centre, for cats in need
54:52to come to.
54:53This is Delina. She's only ten weeks old and has been in the Ashford Garden Cattery since the 18th of
55:00Feb, making her one of the newest members here.
55:02Other cats have been here for around 100 days, the oldest cat being 15 years old.
55:08Now, if the cat tree doesn't fundraise the £50,000 before the end of the year, exactly, they will be
55:15forced to close.
55:16And then cats like Delilah may need to be moved to other RSPCA branches where they may be unsettled as
55:23they're not used to the environment.
55:25Here, the animals are well taken care of and are comfortable in their private spaces.
55:29They can socialise with many people and vice versa. It allows people to come and spend time with them.
55:36So I asked one volunteer what it would be like for her if the cat tree did close.
55:41Yeah, that would be really weird for me. I would be sad about it.
55:44But I would also like wonder, like, I don't know what to do with myself on Tuesdays.
55:50But yeah, I think if it were to close, it would be it would be a loss for sure.
55:57Not just for me, but for the community as well.
56:01Three weeks into the fundraising, Ashford Garden Catry have already raised £10,000 of their target and have received so
56:09much community support so far.
56:11Lisa is hoping that with this support and fundraising the full amount, every cat will find the home that they
56:17deserve.
56:17Nayla Mohamed for KMTV in Ashford.
56:23You've been watching Kent tonight live here on KMTV.
56:26There's more news made just for Kent throughout the evening.
56:29Don't forget you can always keep up to date with the latest news across your county by logging on to
56:33kmtv.co.uk.
56:35There you can keep us on your social timelines by liking us on Facebook and following us on TikTok.
56:41And if you think we've got a story we should be covering, then get in touch.
56:45We also have a series of special programmes with sport and film club you can watch soon.
56:50Thank you so much for watching today. Goodbye.
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