insideKENT Magazine Issue 43 - October 2015 | Page 14

NEWS

THE CREATIVE FOUNDATION
BRINGS BANKSY
BACK TO FOLKESTONE

MARKERSTUDY GROUP ACQUIRES
BEWL WATER
Markerstudy, the
privately owned
financial group
headquartered
near Sevenoaks,
has acquired Bewl
Water Country
Park. With over
4,500 staff
nationwide and
more than 1,000
based in Tunbridge
Wells, this
purchase is
another step in the
Group’s strategy to create a substantial Leisure division and an enduring
legacy in Kent.
Louise Clark, managing director of Markerstudy Leisure, commented: “Bewl
Water is a hugely exciting project, complementing our existing leisure portfolio
of Salomons Estate, One Warwick Park Hotel (formerly The Brew House
Hotel), Next Dimension Gymnastics Academy, ‘So’ Magazines Tunbridge
Wells, Times of Tunbridge Wells and Zenith Aviation.
“We are keen to maximise the potential of the beautiful 1,000-acre site, and
ensure it maintains its position as one of the most idyllic and versatile ‘go
to’ locations. It is unique; the largest stretch of open water in South East
England, attracting families and friends to enjoy time together and participate
in a host of exhilarating recreational activities, on land and on water.”

LEADING KENT BUSINESS MEN AND
WOMEN FROM ACROSS THE
COUNTY RECOGNISED AT
GLITTERING AWARDS CEREMONY
Now in its fourth year, and
with a record number of
entries, the Kent
Independent Traders
Awards ceremony took
place in September,
celebrating the cream of the
crop of Kent’s business
men and women.

Following popular demand and a lengthy legal battle, the Creative Foundation
has successfully managed to secure the return of the Banksy for Folkestone.
The Banksy, “Art Buff”, appeared overnight on a wall in the heart of
Folkestone's Creative Quarter during the 2014 Folkestone Triennial. “Art
Buff” quickly became a popular local attraction but, sadly, that was not to
last. The tenants of the building, Dreamland Leisure Limited, arranged for
“Art Buff” to be cut out of the property before the Triennial had ended. The
mural was shipped to the US and offered for sale.

Twelve awards were up for
grabs, from Professional
Achievement Award (won
by Wilkinson Construction
Consultants Ltd),
Contribution to the
Community (Kent
Community Events) to
Creative Digital/Design
Business Award (won by
insideKENT’s publisher,
Sideways Media - woo!).

The removal of the Banksy led to public outcry as well as to calls for it to
stay in Folkestone, including by Damian Collins MP who raised the issue
in the House of Commons. The Creative Foundation decided to take legal
advice to try and rescue th