insideKENT Magazine Issue 92 - November 2019 | Page 163

NEWS
THE GARDEN OF LIGHT ILLUMINATES
McARTHURGLEN DESIGNER OUTLET ASHFORD
In tribute to Kent’s 400-year status as the Garden
of England, McArthurGlen Designer Outlet
Ashford is harnessing the wonders of nature on
an unprecedented scale through an immersive
installation The Garden of Light, a journey of
discovery, tapping into the four seasons through
light, sound and scent.
Opening on 7th November, guests will be invited
to view the installation, commissioned by
McArthurGlen with Projection Artworks, on a
donations basis, with proceeds going to East Kent
Hospitals Charity to create a garden sanctuary
at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford for
patients to enjoy.
The much-anticipated walkthrough installation,
inspired by Kent’s rich heritage and
complementing Europe’s largest living wall
installation, featured within the £90 million
expansion, has been designed to stimulate the
senses and encourage guests to reflect on their
connection with nature.
Tickets are free, and must be pre-booked via the
website at www.ashforddesigneroutlet.com
KENT BASED FAMILY-RUN
BUSINESS WINS PRESTIGIOUS
NATIONAL AWARD FOR ITS ECO-
FRIENDLY SOAP
BED AND BREAKFAST SCORES 96%
AFTER VISIT ENGLAND ASSESSMENT
Hever Castle’s luxury Bed and Breakfast
has maintained its 5* Gold status and
achieved a Breakfast Award. well on this year’s day assessment,
comfortably retaining its Five Star Guest
Accommodation rating.”
The accommodation was assessed by
Visit England and got a 96% quality
score. To gain a 5* rating businesses
have to score between 85% and 100%
and are marked on bedrooms,
bathrooms, cleanliness, hospitality
and breakfast. Hever Castle’s four bedroom holiday
cottage, Medley Cottage also
maintained its 5* Gold rating, scoring
92%.
The Gold award is given to
accommodation which offers the ‘best
of the best’, with exceptional quality
and that goes the extra mile for their
customers, whilst the Breakfast Awards
recognises breakfasts which exceed guest
expectations.
Visit England said that: “Hever Castle
Bed & Breakfast presented extremely
House Manager Roland Smith said:
“We are delighted that the hard
work and high standards of cleanliness
and customer service has been
recognised by Visit England. It is
testament to our dedicated members of
staff that we have retained this accolade.
We look forward to welcoming more
guests to our luxury accommodation
throughout 2019 and 2020.”
www.hevercastle.co.uk
Sittingbourne based, family-run The Kentish Soap Company has
won the 2019 Janey Loves Platinum Award for their Blissful Soap,
scooping the top prize against some of the skin care industry’s most
prestigious names.
It follows on from its nomination for a Free From Skin Care Award as
well as being named in UK Health Radio’s Health Triangle magazine
as one of the UK’s innovative health and wellbeing products.
“It’s a huge moment for us!” said founder Jayne Waddy, who began
making soap from her kitchen using the traditional cold process method.
“Long before we ever made our first soap, we’ve always cared about
the environment, and we’ve continued to champion this ethos ever since.
All our products are handmade, natural and vegan-friendly, with no
artificial colours or fragrances and no palm oil whatsoever, and they are
completely plastic-free. That’s why this award feels so special. It feels
like a win for ethical skin care brands that care about the planet.”
www.kentishsoap.com
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