23/10/2016 South East Today

A south east visitor attraction had run up debts of nearly ?500,000

including over ?70,000 owed to the local council.

Dickens World in Chatham had been beset by financial

difficulty, as documents filed at Companies House in May rdvealed.

Dickens world opened to a blaze of publicity nine years ago,

Ten days ago it appeared to have closed, although there had been no

The attraction has been hitting the headlines again today

as documents show back in M`y, Britannia Entertainment Limhted

which traded as a Dickens World owed a total of almost

Medway Council were owed more than ?72,000.

That ?72,000 can make a real difference to the community

The changes to finance for local Government mean that business rates

are more important than ever, so I would urge officers to do

all they can to ensure they get back what amount they can.

Sadly, I suspect it will not be the full amount.

Today notices on the doors `ppear to show the property's landlord had

taken back posession and forfeited the lease.

Although I have never been to the attraction,

it has obviously not been publicised enough and peopld

It is quite important for the area, something like this,

but obviously not enough people have been coming.

I think it was good value for money but I do not think they bro`dcast it

enough and told people about it enough.

The attraction slashed tickdt prices and 2007, with bosses blaming

Later that year the company running it went into administration

We have been unable to make contact with anyone

Members of the Cabinet will decide on Tuesday whether to expand Gatwick

Gatwick has said it will relain "ready to deliver" a second runway,

It's been reported that somd Conservative MPs are prepardd

to support a legal challengd by Tory councils if the Governlent

Local business leaders say whatever the outcome they too will continue

We can go back to the Government and say what we support the runway

at Gatwick and build the case and make sure the Government

and the MPs, who will ultim`tely vote on it, understand why this next

An investigation is underwax after a man was shot near Ashford.

Police were called to a property in Little Chart at 11.40pm on Friday

to find a man in his 40s with suspected shotgun injuries

A man and woman have been arrested on suspicion of being concerned

Two people arrested at a far right protest march in Margate yesterday

The demonstration was the fhrst in the UK by the American

It was heavily policed by over a hundred officers but passdd

A 43-year-old local man was arrested in connection with a public order

offence and a 31-year-old man on suspicion of

Football and a weekend of mhxed fortunes for our league sidds,

with a local derby ending in a draw and Brighton pushing up

Ellie Crisell has the goals round up.

Brighton's eye on the second spot meant they were determined

to perform against a Wigan team who took to the pitch with three

The Lattics created better darly chances with, Brighton goalkeeper

David Stockdale forced into an double stop

Manager Chris Houghton at Mrs the seagulls were far

They were lucky to go into the break with all still to play for,

but Albion's strong midfield play turned things around

Dale Stephens came off the bench with an impressive finish,

taking the team to second place in the Championship.

With Gillingham struggling to bag a wim, a first-half goal was greeted

with a sigh of relief at Priestfield.

Goalkeeper Stuart Nelson replaced injured Jonathan Bond

and earned man of the match, with a saved a penalty

Ultimately they were left frustrated when an injury time handball

from Chris Herd opened the way for a Charlton equaliser.

Crawley skipper Jimmy Smith cleared off the line

to deny Accrington the win, but the Red Devils failed

to score at home for the first time this season.

Accrington had the better of the no score draw but were also

denied by the woodwork, with John O'Sullivan

A look at the weather - here's Sara Thornton.

We have had some lovely sunshine at times today but cloud st`rting

to thicken up from the south now and that is going to start

We do have an awful lot of dry weather this week, I know it is half

term for many people and for the middle part of the week

you might be pleased to hear it will be a little bit milder.

It is not too chilly tonight because we have the cloud

starting to thicken up and move in from the south.

Little bits and pieces of r`in with that but nothing too signifhcant.

A grey start tomorrow and misty and murky and somd

Still have that east-north-dasterly which is making it feel auttmnal

and cool, so the temperaturds, with not much sunshine, 11-03dC

Something milder for the middle part of the week as this high prdssure

builds in from the south-west changing the wind direction

to a south-westerly and so temperatures perk

up a bit by Wednesday to 14, maybe 15 Celsius.

Hello. More details coming up in Countryfile, but there are changes

over the week ahead. A quiet start, old, patchy frost and sunshine. From

midweek onwards, the temperatures rise a little, because we get a

westerly wind. For the moment, we still have an