Rap for council as fabrics store shuts
MAIDSTONE'S specialist C&H Fabrics store is closing after 40 years – and the borough council has been criticised by the company chairman. C&H, at the corner of Week Street and Union Street, will shut when the lease ex- pires in March, as it is making a loss. But the firm's other outlets, including Canter- bury and Tunbridge Wells, will remain open.
Chairman Bryan Hamblin said the rent (to
a Scottish landlord) and the business rates “have climbed so steeply that we cannot continue to trade profitably in Maidstone”. Mr Hamblin said: “We pay £70,000 a year,
which is far too high. I fear other retailers will be forced to follow us as their leases end.” Mr Hamblin said: “The borough council
has done little or nothing to arrest the de- cline of the town centre and, in particular,
POLICE have released this image of a man they want to question in connec- tion with a series of credit card frauds in Maidstone totalling more than £8,000. Credit cards and identification docu-
ments have been stolen from lockers at David Lloyds gym in Maidstone and then used at different outlets in the town centre either to withdraw cash or buy foreign currency. Atotal of £8,230 was stolen in the four crimes reported to police so far. The man police wish to speak with is
described as white, between 35-45 years old, with a chubby face, of stocky build, clean shaven and dressed as a builder –
our end of town. No new car parks have been built near us in 20 years (indeed one has been shut).” He regretted the loss of 47 “excellent” em- ployees, plus freelance curtain-makers. Mr Hamblin added: "Maidstone has
changed a lot in the last 15 years and our end of Week Street has never recovered from the loss of the old Army and Navy store. Bluewater opened and Maidstone took a big hit. The new Fremlin Walk de- velopment has further damaged other areas of the central shopping zone. “Wealthier and more mature customers
repeatedly tell us they do not like coming in to Maidstone. They prefer the 'comfort' and 'quality' of TunbridgeWells, Canterbury and Tenterden.” C&H opened a new store in Guildford in
2009. Its other seven stores had a "remark- ably strong" 2010.
wearing a hi-vis jacket and white hard hat, dark fleece and blue trousers. Det Con Andy Felton said: “All these frauds were committed in broad day- light and in very public places. “I urge people to study the image of
the man and contact us if they recognise him. In addition, he may wish to come forward and help rule himself out of our inquiries. “We believe he may not be from the
Kent area, but he may have contacts here who know him.” Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 01622 604210 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Maidstone Council spokesman Roger
Adley said: “Business rates are set nation- ally, based on rental values, which are themselves an indication of the area’s pros- perity. The council collects the money on behalf of the Government and the money goes to the Government. “When Fremlin Walk opened in 2005 it
put Maidstone into the top 50 town centre retail destinations nationally and main- tained our status as Kent’s premier town centre. Maidstone is well served by car parks – FremlinWalk has 760 spaces. “The council has approved a planning ap- plication for a mixed residential and retail use of the former Army and Navy store. “A number of new stores have opened in recent months. The former Woolworth’s store is now back in use as two retail units and a Tesco Express has opened on the other side of C&H Fabrics.”
Police appeal to catch £8,000 credit card fraudster Community
newspaper THE similarities between the aims of Maidstone Soropti- mists and the Downs Mail in serving the local community were emphasised by the newspaper’s President and former Editor-in-Chief Den- nis Fowle. He spoke to the Soropti-
mists (President, Mrs Kate Kersey) on his book “So I Started a Newspaper”. The Downs Mail now reaches 88,000 households in the Maidstone community through its four editions.
To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330
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