Double Trouble
Plus red routes are imminent, our review of The Cheese Room, the weekly events guide, news in brief, and more
Following a couple of politics-heavy weeks, for our feature piece today, Steven met artists Peter Reeds and Sophie Jongman to find out about their upcoming Double Trouble exhibition in Chatham. Further down, we have news that the red route scheme will begin next month, a review of The Cheese Room Botanicals in Rochester, our weekly events guide, plus all the latest news from our towns.
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Double Trouble
by Steven Keevil
Peter Reeds is a semi-retired painter originally from South London. He came to Medway to study at the Medway College of Art, on the site which is now the Rochester Adult Education Centre. His teachers at the college “really brought art out of me”, he says. At first, he was reticent about coming to Medway, but “I fell in love with the place. There are real people here.” Peter has been painting since he was 11, when he got his first set of oil paints. He thought, “This is magic. You can put it on canvas and turn it 3D, turn it into a thing that somebody can love or hate but have a feeling about.”
Sophie Jongman's father is Dutch, and people may know her by her Facebook name, which is Young. Jongman in English means ‘young man.’ She uses the different surnames, she admits, to hide and separate her art from her politics. When she was 14, she joined the Labour Party and CND. “What made me political was the threat of nuclear war. It was the early 80s, and I was petrified. I’ve done demonstrations and counterdemonstrations and that informs my art.” Sophie was born in Canada, but her maternal grandparents are from Medway, so her family relocated here. Her grandfather was Ronald Hamilton Jones, who had done some murals down by Rochester Pier. Whilst at university, Sophie suffered from mental health problems, which led to her being hospitalised while studying for her MA in Housing Law, “which is the worst kind of law”. Sophie freely admits she was in a mess, but it was whilst receiving therapy that she found a connection with art. “I probably would have died if I hadn't got the intervention.”
Sophie’s artistic practice came out of her. “I just thought I like art, I appreciate art, but I can't do it.” She started doing watercolours at a day centre during art classes for people with mental health problems. Sophie wanted to go big and bold and started to attend Nucleus Arts. “The people here were so funny, and they accepted me when I wasn’t sure of myself.” It was here that she met Peter, who became Sophie’s personal art teacher. What added another layer to their relationship was when they realised that one of Peter’s art teachers at college had been Sophie’s grandfather.
Peter used to have a studio at Nucleus until he semi-retired. He now works out of his spare room and continues to teach. Our conversation is interrupted as somebody comes over to hug Peter. Sophie says, “Pete's very popular. Everybody loves Pete.”
Sophie currently has a studio at Nucleus and a studio at home. “I have a studio here because it's well connected. Otherwise, I would probably be very isolated and go mad again.” Sophie considers her painting part of her relationship with her mental instability, helping to stabilise her, informing what she paints, and keeping her focused.
Peter and Sophie’s exhibition, Double Trouble, is named “because we are in troubled times, and we are both trouble,” according to Sophie. Peter scoffs at the idea, as he is perfect. They both have a lot going on that they are fighting against. “At my age,” says Peter, “a lot is happening now that I wouldn’t have believed. We are politically and socially going backwards in time.”
Whilst they both acknowledge mental health concerns, they don’t think they come across in their paintings, which show the opposite of what they feel. “I would love to illustrate what I am thinking about what is going on,” says Peter, “but I can’t.” He also can’t do cartoons. He likes the natural side of the world, landscapes, and more positive stuff that just happens. “I would love to be like Banksy and tell stories, but I can’t.”
Their aim with art in troubled times seems to be to show how art saves us. Sophie does do more socially pointed work, but she also does birds. “There’s always pressure on me to do more birds.” The pieces complement each other, with Sophie intending to intersperse her bird paintings amongst Peter’s landscapes and then, if possible, have a Bluetooth speaker play birdsong to give the exhibition a positive feel.
Peter hasn’t exhibited for a long time due to illness and struggles to cope with “everything.” He is clear that Sophie “switched him back on.” Sophie compliments Peter by highlighting that he is great to talk to and always has good insights.
They look forward to hosting the exhibit in the Halpern Gallery in Nucleus Arts at the end of Chatham High Street. “They’re brilliant,” says Sophie of Nucleus. “I’ve been here since 2011, I know them well.” Sophie will be curating, as Peter admits he isn’t an organiser. There will be pieces for sale, even if it is the life of an artist that you don’t make money. Whilst art can be worth a lot of money, the artist rarely receives any of that.
“Generally, the life of an artist is poor and struggling. The value of art is to enhance life.” How does an artist decide what price to set? “You have to work out the costs of producing the work, the materials, transport, exhibitions,” says Peter. But what about the emotional cost of producing the work? “Basically, you just take the blows.”
Double Trouble will be exhibiting in the Halpern Gallery at Nucleus Arts in Chatham between 2 May and 15 May. Entry is free.
In brief
🌹 Medway Labour councillor Damola Animashaun has been selected to fight the local seat of, er, Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire in the coming General Election. Cllr Animashaun was first elected to Medway Council less than a year ago.
🔵 Meanwhile, the Conservatives have opened selections for their candidate to replace Tracey Crouch in Chatham & Aylesford, who is standing down at the General Election. Despite the open goal, Labour still haven’t managed to get a candidate in place for the seat.
🅿️ Medway Council generated nearly £8.2m in parking charges in the last year. Over £1.6m of that figure came from issuing over 72,000 penalty charge notices. Clover Street in Chatham was the most ticketed spot, with 1,305 penalties being issued in the town centre street.
🏥 Medway NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded the Freedom of Medway by Medway Council. An event was held to celebrate this week and a certificate was issued.
🏥 A new Respiratory Support Unit is set to open at Medway Hospital. The new 33-bed ward is intended to relieve the pressures currently faced by A&E.
🧗 Medway’s first climbing centre will open next month. Chimera Climbing, which replaces Flip Out at Chatham Dockside, will open on 24 May.
🐀 Rats have been spotted inside screens at the Chatham Odeon. In other news, popcorn and films have also been spotted.
Red routes are imminent
The arrival of red routes in Medway has somehow become one of the most controversial issues of our time. Or at least it has if you live in Rainham, as few people in Rochester or Chatham seem to care about the routes being introduced in their areas.
The scheme was originally proposed by the Conservatives before they left office, with Labour embracing them after they won the council. Medway Council announced this week that the scheme will launch next month, meaning there are only a few weeks for people to get away with parking illegally on Rainham High Street or The Brook in Chatham and getting away with it.
The controversy around red routes is slightly strange, given that all that really changes is that a local council has the ability to enforce rules that already exist. All of the existing red routes are currently yellow-lined routes, meaning people shouldn’t be parking there anyway. The red routes just mean enforcement can be carried out automatically by camera rather than a traffic warden needing to be in the area.
Rainham councillors have been fighting hard against the plans on their patch, and the consultation in Rainham did see a majority of respondents against the plan. The figures on the consultation were fairly small, but it remains slightly curious about why there is a fight to retain illegal parking in one town but not the others.
Still, it is perhaps understandable given the slightly questionable lines Medway Council have taken towards the scheme. In the press release, they state:
It is also hoped the red routes will lead to more active and sustainable transport use – leading to less delays on bus services and making cycle paths more accessible.
None of the documents released during the consultation suggested that buses (or anyone, for that matter) were being delayed by any meaningful amount by questionable parking on any of the routes. Further, none of the proposed routes include cycle paths, so it is unclear how this scheme will make any of them more accessible.
For all of the high minded reasons for the scheme, it’s clear that the primary motivation for the enforcement is revenue. Indeed, the scheme is expected to generate over £1m in fines over the first five years, which given the state of council finances, will be welcomed by those in Gun Wharf.
All of which is ultimately fine. It’s hard to have much sympathy for drivers parking illegally, and the council needs the revenue, so just come out and say that in the first place.
Out to lunch: The Cheese Room Botanicals
In which Steven Keevil assesses the lunch options available in our towns. This week, he’s been down to The Cheese Room Botanicals in Rochester…
There are two Cheese Rooms along Rochester High Street. One is a deli café near the middle of the High Street and is known to this writer as an essential stop for picking up a cheese scone. For lunch, we went to the larger Cheese Rooms Botanicals venue near the cathedral crossroads. The venue is spacious, with a front bar, a back seating area and extra space upstairs. The place was busy but well-staffed and we quickly got drinks and menus.
We ordered from the lunch menu and when in Rome, ordered a cheese toastie. Specifically, a ‘Smoky’ with Applewood smoked cheese, smoky Chipotle, and smoked ham. Along with triple-cooked chips and, in a fit of pique, aubergine chips, It was unreservedly delicious. It's one of the best toasties I have ever had in Rochester, which is not intended as a back handed compliment. The bread was well toasted, the cheese and ham generously portioned and full of flavour. Also, the aubergine chips were, to be clear, sublime.
The Cheese Room is often cited during our Sunday interviews as a favourite place to eat in Medway. I very much agree.
Events this week
🎸 Few Thoughts headline a night of punk bands at Poco Loco tonight (26 Apr). They are supported by Gas Acid and Real Life Goblin. Tickets £5.
🧟 Zombie classic Night of the Living Dead shambles into the Chatham Odeon for a one night only screening on Monday (29 Apr). Tickets £10.
🎨 The Mess Room is an innovative, creative, accessible, community arts space based in Sun Pier House in Chatham. Their artists currently have three exhibitions dotted around Medway until June. You can find them in Rochester Cathedral (free), the Royal Engineers Museum (entry with museum ticket), and the Guildhall Museum (entry with museum ticket). Details of all three exhibitions can be found here.
More Authority
Yesterday, we published the full audio recording of our recent Kent Police and Crime Commissioner debate. In it, you can hear all three candidates for the role answering questions from our readers.
Following last week's full council meeting, we also published columns from Medway Council Leader Vince Maple and Deputy Leader of the Opposition George Perfect outlining their parties’ current positions on the big issues facing our towns. Spoiler alert: the state of roads comes up in both pieces.
Coming up this weekend, we’ll be talking to John Daynes, a man with a remarkable story that saw his life collapse, leading to problems with addiction, two attempts on his life, and spending years in prison. He’s since turned his life around through a local charity and business and now works as a coach to stop others falling into the same traps. As ever, our full interviews are only available to our paid supporters, so hit the orange button below if you’d like to receive that on Sunday morning.
Footnotes
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Music that soundtracked the creation of this edition: Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain by Pavement, Sleeping Light by Soup Review, and The Joy of Sects by Chemtrails.
Just to let readers of this edition of Local Authority that there's a preview of the exhibition "Double Trouble" at the Halpern Gallery, Nucleus, Chatham High Street on Thursday 2nd May from 5 - 7 pm. Come along; it'd be good to see you there
Now I want a toasted cheese sandwich!