KentOnline

It looks like a derelict hotel on the A2 near Gravesend will be turned into a petrol station and M&S food store.Plans for a £10 million redevelopment of the Tollgate site have been recommended for approval.Also in today's podcast, a Kent turkey farmer has told us it's 'business as usual' despite restrictions coming in to try and stop the spread of bird flu.There has been at least one confirmed case in the county - with more than 60 birds having to be culled at the Happy Pants Ranch near Sittingbourne.Councils across Kent and Medway have released five different suggestions of what local council reform could look like.New maps show how the county could be split up into unitary authorities. The leader of Medway Council, Vince Maple, has been talking us through them.Work is underway to convert an old toilet block on Sheppey into a brand new event space.Plans were originally submitted by the boss of Elmley Nature Reserve back in 2017 - but it was delayed by Covid.And in sport,  the Gillingham manager has revealed more about his heart surgery, and why it couldn't wait.Gareth Ainsworth was found to have a murmur during a routine health check.You can also hear from striker Seb Palmer-Houlden who has been chatting ahead of the weekend's game at Bristol Rovers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A couple are getting a £1,200 refund for furniture that did not arrive after threatening to take The Range to court.It’s after they ordered four electric recliner armchairs from the retailer in September – some parts arrived two days later but other pieces didn’t show up at all. Also in today’ podcast, a lorry driver who had more than 40 migrants in the back of his trailer is among several caught this year amid a spike in arrests in Kent.You can hear from the National Crime Agency who’s warning hauliers are being targeted by ruthless gangs offering them thousands of pounds to smuggle people in and out of the country.A secondary school in Sevenoaks that has started locking its students’ mobile phones away during the day says children are “talking” and “running around” again since its introduction.You can hear from bosses at the school and from students who’ve been telling us what impact the smartphone ban has had.Parents in Kent are being urged to learn basic first aid skills before taking their children to events this festive season. St John Ambulance says it's important to prepare now for any activities you might have planned over the next couple of months. And, the female bison who led the wild herd in woodland near Canterbury has died at the age of 21.Staff at the Wildwood Trust say she lived a long life after being move from a zoo and released into Blean Woods in 2022. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A mum from Margate has died just three months after being diagnosed with cancer.53-year-old Michelle Bailey was told in July she had an incurable form of the disease after initially suffering what doctors thought was a stroke.Also in today's podcast, the leader of Kent County Council has hit back at the Chancellor, after she criticised the local authority during a speech at Downing Street.Rachel Reeves was speaking ahead of her Budget later this month. Hear what she had to say and the response from Reform UK's Linden Kemkaran. The boss of a Kent charity's admitted they got too big, too quickly.Gillingham Street Angels, which runs a number of shops and a food bank, announced at the start of the week it was going to close after supporting hundreds of homeless and vulnerable people since 2018.People living on Prince Andrew Road in Broadstairs have told the podcast the name is now embarrassing, and they want it changed.It's after Andrew Mountbatten Windsor was stripped of his Royal title over his links to disgraced financier Jeffery Epstein. Andrew has always denied any wrong doing.A campaign is underway to organise a Christmas dinner for young care leavers in north Kent.Many of those who grow up in foster homes are left with nowhere to go on the big day after they turn 18.An event is already held every year in Folkestone, and now volunteers want to put on a meal in the north of the county.And in sport, Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth has returned to oversee training this week following heart surgery.He's been absent from the club for a month after having an operation in early October. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Developers who wanted to rebuild a cherished country pub which burnt down after being struck by lightning say they’ve had to “abandon the dream” after costs “ballooned”.Plans to restore The Green Man were approved in April, with the intention of renting it to someone who would create a nice community pub.Also in today’s podcast, an XL bully owner agreed to have nine puppies put down when police warned him of the kennel costs he faced after they were seized.It’s after he failed to register his adult dogs in time for a national deadline on the banned breed.The boss of a catapult shooting club is inviting teen tearaways to hand in their “homemade” weapons and instead learn to use the device responsibly.The West Kent Catapult Club opened last year to create a legitimate place for target shooting as a sport.Villagers are gearing up to fight plans for a huge lorry park near their homes - fearing it will bring round-the-clock noise and pollution to the countryside.The proposals for the 70-acre site, between West Hougham and Capel-le-Ferne, would accommodate up to 600 HGVs – a public meeting is being held today. And a village could go without its Christmas lights due to flags put up over the summer.Harrietsham has had the decorations every year along the A20 Ashford Road for as long as residents can remember but the parish council say that’s now under threat.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Police have launched a murder investigation following the death of a man in his 40s in Chatham.He was found with stab wounds at a home in Castle Road on Saturday morning. Hear from our reporter who has been at the scene today.Also in today's podcast, residents in part of Maidstone are calling for urgent action to fix unsafe cladding on their flats.Material on the roofs of the buildings at Kingfisher Meadow was deemed to be too flammable following a survey after the Grenfell disaster in 2017.The MP for Gillingham and Rainham says she's worried about where the debate over immigration is heading.Naushabah Khan says it's been allowed by mainstream politicians to seep into an argument about race and identity.Bosses at Ashford Designer Outlet say they're about to hit 100% occupancy for the first time in seven years.It's currently home to 111 units, following an expansion in 2019.Football, and all three Kent teams involved in FA Cup first round action at the weekend have been knocked out of the competition.Hear reaction from Gillingham and Chatham Town. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A grieving mum says she’s being treated “like a criminal” after being fined £300 for placing her late husband’s clothes by a donation bin which was full.She placed the two bin liners of clothes on the ground “neatly” beside lots of other bags but was approached by a warden who issued the fine for fly-tipping. Also in today’s podcast, we’ve been hearing from people on the streets of Kent as we mark six months since Reform UK took over the leadership of Kent County Council. It follows a difficult few weeks for the party, with several members suspended following a leaked video of leader Linden Kemkaran shouting and swearing during a virtual meeting. The health minister's been in Kent to officially name a new multi-million pound surgical centre at Maidstone Hospital.The facility has three state-of-the-art operating theatres and 24 beds and has cared for three and a half thousand people since opening last year.A Kent author's revealed how a small village was saved from major development - thanks to its ghost stories.Pluckley's said to be the most haunted place in England - with tales including the White Lady, Highwayman and Watercress Woman.And in football, Chatham Town are facing an FA Cup first-round challenge for the first time in 97 years this weekend. They suffered a heavy defeat back in 1928, and whatever the outcome this weekend boss Kevin Hake says it’s another step forward for the club. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A decision has been made by the rail regulator which could open the door for international trains stopping in Kent again.Eurostar services haven't called at Ashford or Ebbsfleet since the pandemic.Virgin Trains have now been given permission to use the Temple Mills depot in London - which is the first step in a process which would allow them to go through the Channel Tunnel.Hear reaction from Ashford MP Sojan Joseph, and Tudor Price who is the chief executive of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce.Also in today's podcast, a Dartford tax driver is calling for tougher regulation, after claiming almost three-quarters of people working in the town are from other areas.Roger Clarke works at Bridge Cars and says he's seen business plummet since the pandemic.As part of Halloween celebration at Dover Castle, visitors will have the chance to give their deep dive into history a life-saving twist.English Heritage has teamed up with the NHS to hand out testing kits so people can find out their own blood type.And, the Medway Hospital Charity are using their 30th anniversary celebrations to raise money for more wheelchairs.The Thirty at 30 campaign has a goal of £30,000 to buy 30 chairs to meet a rise in demand. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A former nurse who groped a lone woman near a shopping centre whispered, “You’re not like the other ones who usually scream.”He’d spotted the stranger before subjecting her to the terrifying ordeal near Ashford Designer Outlet in broad daylight. Also in today’s podcast, the boss of an animal sanctuary says her “heart is numb” after revealing her birds are at the centre of an outbreak of avian flu - and will all have to be culled.Amey James, who runs Happy Pants Ranch in Newington says several ducks, turkeys and cockerels fell ill last week.Changes are on the way for the ambulance service that covers Kent as it merges with another to form a larger group. Union bosses says the merger between South East Coast Ambulance and South Central Service must protect jobs, pay and conditions. Fees at Kent’s priciest public car parks are set to increase again in a move branded “diabolical” and “greedy” by residents.The most expensive sites in Canterbury and Whitstable are proposed to rise by 10p an hour, despite fears it will have a “huge knock-on effect” on small businesses.And one of Kent's biggest foodbanks is launching a campaign with the help of former boxer Barry McGuigan to get enough food to help families over winter.You can hear from bosses at Canterbury food bank who want us to get involved in their Reverse Advent Calendar. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Owners of a huge holiday park have unveiled plans to replace it with hundreds of new homes and oust “illegal” occupants.Hundreds of caravan users, many of which are said to be living all-year round in breach of the rules, off a site on Sheppey could be asked to leave.Also in today’s podcast, a shocking case of illegal dumping first uncovered by KentOnline has been singled out as evidence of “multiple failings” by environmental authorities.A House of Lords committee has written to the environment secretary calling for an independent review into how agencies handled the “egregious events” at Hoad’s Wood, near Ashford.A father-and-son team who have been brewing and selling beer for more than a decade have been forced to close their award-winning business.They’ve bid their final farewell to punters after 12 years at Loddington Farm near Maidstone.Rob and Numi from kmfm Breakfast have met a 13 year-old boy who's raising money so his mum can have cancer treatment.Oscar is running 100 miles in October and the team joined him for a jog around a track in Canterbury. And in sport, we're told Gillingham manager Gareth Ainsworth has been joining strategy meetings as he continues to recover from heart surgery.He's missed the last few games following the operation – you can hear from club chairman Brad Galinson who says he’s making good progress.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

An abandoned nightclub has been destroyed after a fire ripped through the building last night. The Grade II listed site of the former Portlands Factory club in Northfleet went up in flames just before midnight. Also in today’s podcast, a couple say they have lost £18,000 worth of stock after after a blaze tore through an historic building on a regenerated quayside. In the early hours of yesterday, fire crews were called to Standard Quay to a fire that seemed to be coming from inside The Pottery Room.A Kent man who came to the UK as an asylum seeker says he's taking part in an immigration debate to speak up for those who don't have a voice.He was 17 when he arrived in the back of a lorry from Iraq in 1999 – he’s urging people not to feel threatened by those who come here from a better life. A frustrated dad says he was put through “years of hell” after being hounded for child support arrears he did not owe – despite his ex-wife confirming he never missed a payment.He’s now hit out at the Child Maintenance Service, claiming it gave him “sleepless nights” by wrongly chasing him for thousands of pounds and even taking money directly from his wages.And in football, you can hear from Gillingham’s assistant manager following a disappointing defeat over the weekend. They Gills lost 2 – 1 to Salford City at Priestfield but Richard Dobson is urging fans to look at the stats.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A woman who won tens of thousands on Premium Bonds, sold her home and spent a year abroad before falsely claiming thousands in benefits on her return to Kent has avoided prison. Between 2021 and 2024, she received more than £23,000 after making false statements to the Department for Work and Pensions.Also in today’s podcast, you can hear from the Ashford MP who’s weighed in on the troubles being faced by Reform UK at County Hall. Sojan Joseph has been telling us why KCC leader Linden Kemkaran should lose her job. Residents say it’s “total rubbish” their town is well served by pharmacies while their only closed branch “sits there like a ghost” - and prevents new ones from opening.Jhoots, in the Rainham Shopping Precinct, closed in August after months of troubles meaning 40,000 people in the town have been without direct easy access.A prototype of the game Medway Fighter, based on the classic arcade game Street Fighter will debut at Electric Medway Festival this weekend. You can hear from the creative director who says it’s a new way for people to engage with Medway’s heritage. And in football, Gillingham assistant boss Richard Dobson says he doesn’t want his players to be affected by their winless run when they face Salford City this weekend. The Gills have gone four League 2 matches without a win after a blistering start to the season. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Residents are calling for action to solve traffic “chaos” caused by lorries struggling to make it up a slippery hill.They say they are kept up at night by screeching tyres and reversing alarms as stranded HGVs retreat back down for another run-up, and fear there will be a serious accident.Also in today’s podcast, Kent has been battered with strong winds and heavy rain as Storm Benjamin hits. It’s caused travel disruption with trees down and local flooding reported across the county. Reform UK councillors have lodged official complaints about the leadership style of the top table at Kent County Council. You can hear from Simon Finlay from the Local Democracy Reporting Service as it’s understood at least five members have sent grievances to the party’s head office.Bosses at Kent Fire and Rescue say they'll have to make tough decisions if they don't get more funding.A survey's been launched to see if residents would be willing to pay 9p a week more in council tax contributions.And, a bitter funding dispute between school leaders and council bosses is threatening the future of a specialist school supporting vulnerable children and young people.Kent County Council and FAR Academy in Whitstable have so far failed to agree on how much the authority should pay the school per student. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

An alleged abuser has been called a “coward” after he took his own life the day before he was due to stand trial.The 69-year-old was found at HMP Elmley earlier this month – the family of one of the accusers have shared their anger at not getting their day in court.Also in today’s podcast, you can hear audio from the moment a prolific thief was arrested by police as he hid under a bed.Billy Bird carried out a two-week spree of thefts across Faversham and Ashford, targeting multiple stores and stealing hundreds of pounds worth of alcohol and food.The under-pressure Reform UK leader of Kent County Council has called on her 49 remaining members to back her.Cllr Linden Kemkaran, on advice from the party's headquarters, sent out a message calling on all fellow councillors to sign a statement of support.New figures show Swale Borough Council has received more complaints about wood burning than any other in England. Residents lodged more than 12-hundred complaints in the last 12 months - prompting campaigners to call for government to tighten regulations. And a Kent woman who went through menopause in her early 40s says there's still too much stigma around the issue.You can hear from Grace Lawson who started experiencing symptoms when she was just 42. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A court has heard a man “saw red” on the night his town centre bar was closing down and thrust a broken bottle into another man’s head.Steven Harwood-Brown threw one of his employees to the floor at Folkestone venue Picklebacks, before stabbing the victim, who had intervened to stop the fight.Also in today’s podcast, pressure is growing on the leader of Kent County Council after seven MPs demanded she quit and an eighth labelled her behaviour ‘unacceptable.’In a letter to Reform leader Nigel Farage, the Labour MPs said Cllr Linden Kemkaran was ‘clearly not up to the job. Two Kent women who survived domestic abuse are starting a community project to provide clothing and toiletries for other victims.The DV Closet, in Sevenoaks, is a safe space where those who've fled abuse can get the support they need.Long-harboured plans to build a new reservoir in the Kent countryside are finally moving forward as contractors carry out the first phase of ground investigation works.South East Water is planning to build a 200-acre facility on farmland near Canterbury - you can hear from the project manager. And a Kent farmer's told us he's pleased to be able to give apples he grows to charity - to avoid them going to waste.The crop at Hazel Street Farm is no longer financially viable, so the orchard has been handed over to a food project. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Reform UK has suspended four county councillors after the leaking of a video showing a private Zoom meeting of senior party members.The four have had the whip removed “pending investigation, following evidence they brought the party into disrepute”.Also in today’s podcast, fed-up residents say they’re paying hundreds of pounds in service fees for a children’s play park which, in reality, amounts to little more than a wooden log.Over the past four years, garden city residents have been paying property management agency, FirstPort, thousands of pounds to maintain play equipment that residents say doesn’t exist.The MP for Canterbury has spoken in the commons about some of the challenges being faced by Canterbury Cathedral.Independent Rosie Duffield says the appointment of Bishop Sarah Mullally as the first female to hold the role should be seen as a new start for the church.One of Kent’s poorest areas is set to receive £20 million to upgrade it to make it a “better place to live”.Ahead of a meeting on the Pride in Place funding, business owners and residents of the Sheppey East ward told the KentOnline Podcast what they think the money should be spent on.And in sport, Gillingham had two players sent off and conceded a debatable-looking penalty as they were beaten at Grimsby Town.The Gills have now gone four games without a win in League 2 after the 1-0 loss and visiting fans were left chanting “1-0 to the referee” after a series of controversial decisions against their team. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.