Dover & Folkestone Locals

The annual Dover – Calais Festival of Sport is taking place in Dover on Saturday 26th May 2012.

It is the 39th year that this twinning festival has been running and each year Calais and Dover take it in turn to be the hosts. A diverse range of local sporting clubs will be taking part in fourteen different sports ranging from darts, snooker and pool to fencing, shooting and sailing.

There will be various venues in and around Dover for this year’s event. If you would like to show your support for your local team, events will be happening in the following locations:

• Shooting Duke of York’s Military School 9am - 1pm
• Table Tennis Dover Leisure Centre 9am – 1pm
• Fencing Temple Ewell Village Hall 10am – 3pm
• Darts The Qube 12pm onwards
• Snooker The Qube 12pm onwards...

A major foundation for investment in the future of Dover District is being welcomed following exciting news that the multi million pound redevelopment of the St James’ area of Dover has been given the go ahead by planners.

A meeting of the Planning Committee last night (10 May) approved the application to provide new retail floor space, 8 residential units, and other associated works within the area known as the Dover Town Investment Zone, (DTIZ). This follows permission for a hotel building with restaurant/bars and other works, granted back in March.

Cllr Paul Watkins, Leader of Dover District Council said: “This is excellent news for Dover District and is a major example of continuing investor confidence in the area. It is another key foundation for the development and growth agenda for Dover, and will...

Big Jubilee Lunch At Big Screen In Dover

As part of celebrations to mark The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, Dover District Council is supporting The Big Jubilee Lunch with a special event at the Big Screen Live Site at Dover Market Square on Sunday 3 June from 11am to 5pm.

Communities are invited to come along to celebrate the occasion with family and friends, bring a picnic with them, and join in with The Big Jubilee Lunch. Dover District Council will be providing tables and chairs at the Market Square, and there will be a range of entertainment, including a life-size Punch and Judy, live music and outside games. The BBC will be showing special Jubilee coverage on the Big Screen.

The Big Lunch is an idea from the Eden Project, funded by the Big Lottery. The aim is to...

Police are appealing for information following an armed robbery, which took place at the Co-op store in Lower Road, River in Dover on friday night (4 May). Shortly before the store closed at 10pm, four men entered the store and threatened staff, stealing cigarettes and a quantity of cash. The amount stolen is currently unknown as are the exact weapons used in the robbery.

The suspects were all wearing high visibility jackets and their faces were covered. After stealing the items, the four men swiftly left the store on foot.

Officers are particularly keen to speak with a man who came in to purchase a pot of jam, shortly before the incident occurred, as he may have seen the suspects. Anyone with information about the incident should contact Kent Police on 101 or Kent Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 quoting crime reference ZY/12356/12.

Magistrates urged to ‘get with it’ over dog fouling fines

Magistrates who fined a woman only £50 after she let her dog foul the Garden of Remembrance in Folkestone have been told to ‘get with it' by Shepway Council's Deputy Leader.

Jackie Adams of Manor Road, Folkestone, was originally issued with Fixed Penalty Notice by the council's dog warden after she failed to clear up after her pet. When she refused to pay, the council took the matter to court where magistrates fined her £50 - the same amount as the original penalty. She was also ordered to pay £50 costs.

Cllr Rory Love, Deputy Leader of the Council and Shepway's Enforcement Champion, said the lenient fine sent out the wrong message and was out of touch with people's feelings about dog fouling.

"The maximum fine for dog fouling is £1,000, although I am not suggesting that the maximum fine would...