If you are proud of your front garden join our event to celebrate Bearsted in Bloom.
Enter your front Garden for a chance to win up to £75 worth of Notcutts vouchers.
Deadline for entries Friday 14th May 21
For more information or to enter your garden email:
admin@bearstedparishcouncil.gov.uk
The first lockdown saw the postponement of our much loved Market on the Green. It was very sad to know that after all the hard work so many people had put in to getting the market back to a vivid, varied and well supported monthly event it would have to stop for the foreseeable future.
Bearsted Parish Council considered on many occasions during the summer whether it was right to bring Market on the Green back but felt due to social distancing and the restrictions on people gathering it was not the right for the council to endorse.
It was put on the Communication Committee’s agenda to consider the return of the Market on the Green for March 2021, this was before the current lockdown began. The committee did invite the Market Manager to their meeting this week and she gave her view of how the market could be bought back safely at the right time.
The Market Manager reported that there are many restrictions in place at the current time; only stalls providing essential items can trade, no licenses are being given for the sale of alcoholic items, markets have to be fenced in with limitation on capacity on top of extensive hand washing and toilet facilities for both traders and visitors.
The committee therefore did not feel it would be right to bring back the Market on the Green until such time that there is no limitation on the types of business allowed to trade, there was less restrictions on capacity and the UK lockdown had fully lifted. When this will be, who knows but Market on the Green will return and Bearsted Parish Council stay committed to ‘working with you to protect & enhance our village environment & wellbeing’.
Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) is reminding businesses it’s not too late to apply for a business grant if they own and run a business in the borough.
It is estimated that around 500 local businesses who were required to close for the 5 November national lockdown and are entitled to claim a grant still haven’t done so.
Cllr Martin Cox, Leader of Maidstone Borough Council said: “Since November last year we have already paid out £6m to our local businesses who so desperately need it and we are working really hard to get money out to all those who qualify as soon as possible.
MBC are particularly concerned about the 500 businesses that haven’t made a claim since the beginning of November and want them to know they can still can apply, the details and application form are all on our website.
Cllr Paul Harper, Chair of the Economic, Regeneration and Leisure Committee added: “Those businesses who previously successfully applied for the November lockdown grant will be sent an email encouraging them to apply for the newest government Local Restrictions Support Grant that has been introduced as a result of the national lockdown imposed from 5 January.
If you are one of these then please make sure you check your emails and complete an online application as quickly as possible.
MBC have quickly created a simple online application form for those businesses to complete and would encourage them to do this as soon as they can so that we can pay them the money they need.
For information on all the available grants please visit:
Support for Residents:
Clinically Extremely Vulnerable
Maidstone Borough Council have issued the attached leaflet to residents who are classed as Clinically extremely Vulnerable.
The leaflet contains useful information on priority shopping, helplines and other support, some of which will be applicable to other residents too.
If you are vulnerable and have an urgent need that cannot be met through existing support networks, you can contact the Kent Together helpline via
their website or by calling on 03000 41 92 92.
Covid-19 Support of clinically extremely vulnerable leaflet A5 folded V2
It is a 24 hour service.
Please note the following contact times for the Parish office:
| Thursday 17th December 2020 | 09.30-14.30 | Open |
| Friday 18th December – 28th December 2020 | Office closed | |
| Tuesday 29th December – 30th December 2020 | 09.30 -14.30 | Email only |
| Monday 4th January 2021 | 09.30-17.00 | Open |