http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk en-us info@finesse-escorts.co.uk The first vegetables to be grown at the UK's biggest greenhouse complex have gone on sale. It has been predicted that the produce from Thanet Earth in Kent will boost the UK's salad industry by 15%. The 225-acre (91-hectare) site near Birchington, which has enough glass to cover 80 football pitches, will also produce tomatoes and peppers. The first cucumbers from the £80m centre, which opened in January, have been bought by Tesco. Philippa Anderson, Tesco's south east regional marketing man http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/kent-greenhouse-salads-go-on-sale_111.html 14-03-2009 Negotiations to bring British Airways World Cargo to Kent International Airport have failed. It had been hoped the move would bring more freight flights to Manston but it is to stay at Stansted, officials said. Chief executive, Matt Clarke, said he was disappointed but said there had been interest from other carriers. "We are committed to attracting further freight operators... and ensuring the return of scheduled passenger services to a range of destinations," he said. "The fact that Kent http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/ba-dashes-airports-freight-plans_110.html 14-03-2009 Work has begun on refurbishing a bandstand in Kent which will host the 20th anniversary of the IRA bombing in which 11 Royal Marines musicians died. It follows a year-long fundraising campaign by the people of Deal, who raised more than £20,000. The memorial bandstand in Walmer Green commemorates the bombing at the town's School of Music barracks in 1989. A memorial garden now stands on the site of the atrocity, which also left 21 Royal Marines seriously injured. 'Huge thud' John Perkins, http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/memorial-bandstand-refurb-begins_109.html 14-03-2009  A giant white horse has been chosen as a new £2m art commission for south east England dubbed "Angel of the South". The design, by former Turner Prize winner Mark Wallinger, was selected from a three-strong shortlist as part of the Ebbsfleet Landmark Project. His design for the public art commission will see a horse standing on all four hooves at 33 times life-size. Once built, it will dominate the north Kent landscape, standing as high as Nelson's Column at about 164ft (50m). The announcem http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/giant-horse-to-become-2m-artwork_103.html 11-02-2009 The workers will protest outside power stations in Nottinghamshire and Kent on Wednesday in a bid to pressure French company Alstom to give British workers fair access to work. Alstom has been contracted by RWE to build the Staythorpe power station in Notts and by RWE to construct the Isle of Grain power station in Kent. Two subcontractors at Staythorpe are using hundreds of Spanish workers while the two other subcontractors at Isle of Grain have brought in Polish workers. Dere http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/hundreds-to-protest-again-in-british-jobs-for-british-workers-row_102.html 11-02-2009   Unemployed construction workers have held protests at two UK power stations amid claims British employees are being denied the chance to apply for work. Around 400 people blocked the main gate at Staythorpe in Nottinghamshire, the union Unite said, and about 70 gathered at Grain Power Station in Kent. Unions say hundreds of contracts will go to non-UK employees but contractor Alstom rejects discrimination claims. Wildcat strikes ended last week after a deal on the use of foreign labour. http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/fresh-protest-over-foreign-labour_101.html 11-02-2009 A 48-hour strike by more than 300 workers at one of the UK's busiest ports has ended.Members of the Unite union walked out on Tuesday in a row over the privatisation of their jobs.The workers ended their strike at 0700 GMT. Another three-day strike will be held next week.But Dover Harbour Board chief executive Bob Goldfield said the strike was pointless and the action had not caused any disruption.The second strike is due to begin on 27 November.'Damaged operation'Unite has said that if jobs are http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/port-workers-48hour-strike-ends_82.html 20-11-2008 A massive rise in tolls for the Dartford crossing has been bitterly attacked by the AA which is predicting chaos as drivers tried to avoid paying the fees.The fees for going through the two tunnels or over the bridge in a car went up yesterday from the current £1 to £1.50 this weekend.Users of the Dart Tag scheme will pay £1, and the crossing will be completely free from 10pm to 6am.The crossing currently rakes in around £140,000 a day from motorists.The tolls were originally in place to pay fo http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/dartford-crossing-toll-hike-will-cause-chaos_81.html 20-11-2008 By Sean O'GradyMore than 5,000 job losses were announced yesterday by some of the UK's leading companies, ahead of new official figures that are expected to show the highest number of people out of work since 1998 and well on track to exceed two million by Christmas.Some City economists predict that unemployment will top three million by 2010; Capital Economics say that the British economy will shed 1.5 million jobs before the recession is over.The jobs news and the increasingly grim forecasts http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/5000-jobs-axed-as-city-forecasts-3m-by-2010_80.html 20-11-2008 Toll charges are to be increased by up to 50% for the Dartford crossing over the Thames between Kent and Essex.The new Dartford Tunnel and QEII bridge fees, which include free access between 2200 and 0600, will be officially introduced at 2200 GMT on Saturday.Day-time crossings will rise from £1 to £1.50 for cars. Lorries will be charged £2 or £3.70, depending on their size.However, local car drivers will be able to join a scheme for 50 free crossings and a 20p rate for subsequent uses.The disco http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/dartford-toll-increase-to-start_79.html 20-11-2008 Motorists using the Dartford Crossing face a 50% hike in the cash toll to use the tunnel and bridge spanning the River Thames from this week.Residents of Dartford and Thurrock are eligible for a discount scheme whereby local residents will be entitled to 50 free crossings per year on payment of a £10 annual administration fee. Thereafter crossings will cost 20p each.To benefit from the local discount, residents will need to register annually and apply for an electronic tag to be displayed in the http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/dartford-crossing-car-cash-tolls-increased-by-50_78.html 20-11-2008 By Paul FrancisFive Kent councils could join forces in an ambitious bid to create a company to look after housing for 21,000 council tenants.The five authorities are Dover, Shepway, Ashford, Canterbury and Thanet.Council chiefs believe the move to create an arms-length trust to manage their housing stock and housing services would benefit tenants, potentially saving as much as £700,000.They have stressed that the move does not represent a move to force transfer tenants out of council control.A r http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/ambitious-bid-to-create-council-housing-firm_68.html 10-11-2008 By Hannah Wooderson Southern Housing Group has been awarded a prestigious 'A' rating from Kent County Council for its supported housing service provision.This is the first time that the Group has achieved this honour, for looking after its older residents at Beaver Court, Ashford; Coombe Court, Dover and Snowdown Court in Aylesham.There are six objectives which all services must meet at a minimum level (of a 'C' rating). To achieve an 'A' rating Southern Housing Group performed outstandingly in http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/southern-housing-group-gets-a-rating-from-kent-county-council_67.html 10-11-2008 By Cheryl Pendry Plans to establish a shared service organisation, which would manage council housing in East Kent, have been agreed in principle by Thanet District Council.The proposals would see the establishment of a management company, jointly owned by Canterbury City, Ashford Borough and Thanet, Dover and Shepway District Councils, which would manage the 21,000 homes owned by the five councils.Following this decision, the five councils now intend to start detailed consultation with their te http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/shared-housing-plans-for-east-kent-take-a-step-forward_66.html 10-11-2008 by Tony Hudd Kent based Charlton supporters will be the first to gain an insight into the proposed take-over of the club by the mega-rich Dubai-based Zabeel Investments. Club plc chairman Derek Chappell and his deputy Bob Whitehand will be the guests at Tuesday's meeting of the Bromley branch of the Charlton Supporters' Club. Ian Wallis, who will chair the meeting, said: "We were expecting a big attendance but since the news broke that the club is the subject of a take-over, I'm sure it will be http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/kent-based-charlton-fans-await-early-insight-into-takeover-plans_36.html 11-10-2008 Students from across Kent will have a unique chance to see a spectacular showcase of hands-on activities demonstrating opportunities in the Marine Sector when they visit the first Kent Marine Festival on 17th October. Thousands of young people from Kent schools and colleges will work with employers for a day of hands-on activity seeing the vast array of skills and training available for a successful career. Employers and training providers are committed to providing employment solutions for the http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/first-kent-marine-festival-to-be-held-in-dover_32.html 11-10-2008 TESCO is one of two supermarket chains on the shortlist of companies hoping to redevelop Bexleys civic offices site.Bexley decided the shortlist of four at a closed session of its cabinet meeting last week.The four companies, which will now be asked to develop their ideas are a Tesco consortium of Buro Four, Tesco through its subsidiary Spenhill Regeneration and St Jamess Investments; a Sainsburys consortium of J Sainsbury and Land Securities Trillium, which had initially made a separate bid; Jo http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/supermarkets-on-council-shortlist_25.html 11-10-2008 Charlton Athletic have confirmed they have received "an indicative cash offer" to buy the club from a Dubai-based investment company.The club confirmed in a statement that it will enter a period of due diligence with Zabeel Investments.The statement added: "Should the offer be made formally to shareholders, the board would recommend shareholders to accept it."There is, however, no certainty that a formal offer will be made."Zabeel Investments have been looking for an opportunity to invest in an http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/charlton-receive-dubai-group-bid_24.html 11-10-2008 Motorists face diversions at the Dartford Crossing this week while roadworks are carried out.The QE II Bridge was closed from 8.30pm yesterday until 5am this morning, and will be shut again at the same time tonight until Wednesday morning.The southbound entry slip road at junction 31 of the M25 will be closed to traffic, which is to be diverted through the east tunnel.One of the northbound tunnels will close on Wednesday at 8.30pm and re-opened the next morning at 5am.The same will apply during http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/closures-and-diversions-at-dartford-crossing_23.html 11-10-2008 By Alexis Thompson RESIDENTS can delve into the history of their town centre with a new booklet outlining three heritage trails.The town trails booklet, produced by Dartford Council, outlines three walks around Dartford, providing pictures and tales of the town's history.Residents can find out more about Dartford's links with Henry VIII, the spot that was allegedly the home of Wat Tyler, the leader of the Peasants Revolt in 1381, and information on many of the town's oldest buildings.Councillor http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/booklet-explores-dartfords-heritage_22.html 11-10-2008 Town hall chiefs have called for calm despite the question mark over tens of millions of pounds of Kent taxpayers money in crisis-hit Icelandic banks.Kent County Council currently has £50 million frozen by the Icelandic government following the collapse of the nations banking system, with no guarantee yet that the money will be protected.Five other of the countys local councils have another £14m of funds at risk.And in an interesting twist, bosses at Dartford and Thanet which do not have money http://articles.finesse-escorts.co.uk/millions-at-risk-because-councils-went-to-iceland_20.html 11-10-2008