NEWS
OPENING DATE ANNOUNCED FOR JOHN LEWIS AT HOME ASHFORD
John Lewis has announced that its new multimillion 'at home' shop in Ashford will open its
doors to customers at 9am on Thursday 7th
November 2013.
Located on a site close to junction 9 of the
M20 in Kent, John Lewis at home Ashford
will focus on furniture, furnishing accessories,
electrical and home technology. The 40,000 sq
ft shop will be spread across two floors and will
be the retailer’s tenth 'at home' shop.
Customers will also have a wide range of
services on offer including computer terminals
for browsing the wider johnlewis.com assortment,
as well as the free John Lewis Click and Collect
service which allows shoppers to order products
online before 7pm and collect them at the branch
after 2pm the following day, or opt for home
delivery.
The shop will feature a customer café and
additional services including the John Lewis Gift
List, the Home Design Service and the newly
launched ‘Any shape, Any Fabric’ service which
lets customers design their own sofas and chairs
by choosing from more than 250 frames and
400 fabrics.
Glynis Gunning-Stevenson, branch manager
at John Lewis at home Ashford, said, “I’m
delighted to be announcing the opening date of
John Lewis at home Ashford and together with
my team of partners (staff) will be excited to
welcoming customers through the doors come
Thursday 7th November.
“We’re looking forward to becoming part
of the local community in Ashford, providing
shoppers with convenient access to our inspiring
products, great value and exceptional customer
service. It’s fantastic to see momentum build as
the shop starts to really take shape ahead of
opening day.”
Gerry Clarkson, leader of Ashford borough
council welcomes the positive impact the new
store will have on the town: “Of course, in being
able to achieve an opening date in the run-up to
Christmas, it increases our retail offer at a crucial
BIDDENDEN VINEYARDS’
CHRISTMAS SHOP IS BACK WITH
BELLS ON FOR 2013
Biddenden Vineyards’ Christmas shop is back with a bang this festive
season, and will be open daily from 8th November to 12pm noon on
Christmas Eve.
Choose from a wide selection of local jams, chutneys, beers, honeys,
liqueurs, biscuits and more, along with a specially chosen range of festive
products from small producers around the country.
Personalise your own hampers and gift trays with items of your choice
from around the shop, before having your gifts packed by hand. Not only
will shoppers have the opportunity to create an individual Christmas present,
but there is a whole host of great ideas to suit any budget, not to mention
plenty of ideal buys for that hard-to-buy-for person we all know and love.
Enjoy a complementary glass of Monk's Delight — Biddenden's
spiced mulling cider — each weekend during November, along with a free
mince pie on visits in December.
www.biddendenvineyards.com
16
www.insidekentmagazine.co.uk
time of year, complementing our bustling town
centre. The arrival of this exciting new store will
give residents and visitors an additional reason
to come to Ashford to find additional presents
for families and friends. Not only that but of
course the new store brings job opportunities to
the area. We therefore welcome John Lewis to
the local community and wish th em all the best
with the new store.”
John Lewis at home Ashford will be open
Monday to Friday from 9am until 8pm, Saturday
from 9am until 7pm and Sunday from 10.30am
until 5pm (plus Sunday browse time from
10.30am until 11am).
www.johnlewis.com
APPLEDUCKS ANNOUNCES A NEW
CHRISTMAS DATE FOR HANDMADE
WITH LOVE
Building on the huge success of
their previous Christmas and spring
craft events, Tunbridge Wells-based
events company, Appleducks, has
announced the return of their
Handmade with Love craft fair at
Trinity Theatre in Tunbridge Wells
on Saturday 16th November.
Appleducks founders Jo
Roberts and Stephanie
Brushfield made the decision after
their Christmas 2012 and spring
2013 Handmade with Love events
proved a big hit with crafts people
and visitors.
And this year looks set to be
as popular as ever as the fair
continues to champion local talent
by featuring crafts created by
talented local makers and artisans.
There will be artworks, ceramics, cards, homeware, jewellery, knitted,
crocheted and clothing for sale. “We have discovered many new stallholders
for the Christmas event, as well as some favourites who attended previous
events,” says Stephanie.
On the day, visitors will also have the opportunity to enter a free prize
draw in a bid to win a Christmas cookery day course with celebrity chef
Rosemary Shrager at The Rosemary Shrager Cookery School in Tunbridge
Well's lower Pantiles. There will be a magazine giveaway for those early
bird shoppers and live music in the Trinity café, with local musician David
Mumford performing amongst others.
The event will run from 10am - 4pm on 16th November.
Entry fee: £3. Children under 14 go free.
www.appleducks.com
www.trinitytheatre.net