Groundworks
The messy external stage of works starts soon on Main Road! In the substantial community development, the large span along Main Road will start to be significantly changing as of next week: this phase beginning on Wednesday 3rd November. There are six weeks of works planned on this 44-metre span in the wrap-around junction with College Road, being led by our appointed contractor, Theobalds.
The overall scheme of works reflects this development which will significantly enhance the entrance to our shared community with access, lighting, security and planting essential to this overall scheme. Details are included here. At long last, the hoarding will be coming down at St Peter’s to everyone’s delight!
A lot has been happening behind the scenes over the past few months with contractors on schedule to complete the internal fitting-out of the new ‘Next Door Hextable’ just before the year-end, with other fit-out and completion elements set for early in the new year.
The cornerstone will be a first-class quality café serving great coffee and other drinks and hot and cold food, operating normal business hours, using local specialities and regional Kent suppliers where we can. Importantly the new centre aims to provide a space and a place to connect and extend a warm welcome, promoting wellbeing and developing community in Hextable.
We are therefore working hard on all the detail relating to the operation of the café and centre, including staff recruitment, menus, raising remaining funds and the hundred and one other tasks, with a view to opening our doors to the village early into the new year, with a tentative date for a formal unveiling over the first weekend in March.
Darren Kitchener, Hextable Parish Council Chairman writes, “ I am so pleased to see the start of a much needed and long-awaited transformation to the centre of our Village. We will all soon benefit from a fantastic new community facility with the opening of Next Door Hextable, which will be surrounded by a tasteful and fresh soft landscaping scheme to the exterior. I fully support the necessary external works, over the coming few weeks, that will create a new safe and welcoming access for all - that we can all be proud of.”
Sue Haward, Parish Churchwarden writes, “I lived in Hextable for 20 years and felt the lack of a meeting place or venue to take my girls to when they were small, or meet friends at when they were bigger. It is going to be wonderful to have a hub to the village at last.
As they say; you can't make an omelette without scrambling a few eggs! Although the landscaping around the new community annexe is not going to look its best for a few weeks, the end result will be well worth the wait, and what a wait it has been! The perseverance and persistence of the church to see this project to completion have been heroic, and the blessing this will be to the community for generations to come will make the waiting seem immaterial by comparison.”
Perry Cole, Kent County Councillor for Swanley Hextable writes, “ “I am delighted to see that the much needed Community Hub is reaching the final stages of its build - offering the residents of Hextable and beyond a first-class environment in which to socialise and embrace existing or new found interests. I am sure that once these final works are completed that everyone will be delighted with the result”
David Pearson MBE Parish Church Secretary writes, “As a lifelong local resident in my autumn years, ‘Next Door Hextable’ is such a welcome development providing a place in the village where at last people can meet and relax together in such pleasant surroundings and even enjoy a coffee together. News of the hoarding coming down and the landscaping to take place is so welcome. It will be worth the wait and the temporary inconveniences. This is such good news for Hextable and the surrounding area.”
Sincerest apologies for any temporary inconvenience caused. Should you have any concerns do speak with Nigel Luxford the site foreman or email vicarjohnny@stph.org.uk or call 077990 72845.