Round-up of the latest Maidstone Business Forum


THE focus was firmly on Maid- stone when directors of several major chains paid a visit. It was for a meeting of the in- fluential Business in the Com- munity body. Maidstone was chosen because its partnership work – with the borough and county councils – is recognised as being among the best in the UK.


Andrew Simms, chairman of


the town’s business forum, said they saw four examples of part- nership working. The store chiefs’ tour included “vibrant” Earl Street and Market Build- ings. “They were really im- pressed,” said Mr Simms. “There were a lot of accolades on the day for Maidstone.


MAIDSTONE’s dynamic night- time economy featured on an ITV programme last month. It will be part of the ‘Newlove Investigates’ series, which has replaced ‘Tonight With Trevor McDonald’. Helen (now Baroness) New-


love is the widow of Garry Newlove who was murdered by three youths in 2007 when he challenged them as they van- dalised her car. Last month she went


round Maidstone in the evening with a film crew to see how the authorities engage with young people. She also saw the volunteer- run Urban Blue Bus, which pro-


Companies represented in-


cluded John Lewis, Starbucks, McDonald’s and Boots. The heads of the British Retail Con- sortium and the Institute of Di- rectors were also there. They all heard speeches


by Maidstone Council leader Chris Garland and Town Centre Management chairman Paul Allcock. Business in the Community,


whose president is Prince Charles, used the occasion to launch a document – in which Maidstone features prominently – about partnership work. It will have a widespread circula- tion, including the Prime Min- ister and retail guru Mary Portas, said Mr Sims.


TV focus on night-time economy


vides medical facilities for those with minor injuries and acts as a “safe haven” for those waiting for transport home. Town centre manager Bill


Moss said ITV had got some ex- tremely good footage, which in- cluded coverage of Maidstone’s CCTV system. The programme was shown


last month. Mr Moss said: “We are antici- pating Maidstone coming out of it very favourably. I will be dis- appointed if it’s not positive.” Meanwhile, the baroness was


to report back to Community Secretary Eric Pickles about the examples of “best practice” she had seen in Maidstone.


High Street revamp – ‘it’s good to talk’


THERE will be “major disruption” during the High Street regen- eration this year. Town centre manager Bill Moss stressed that good communica-


tions with stores and businesses was the key, as was the case during work on the gas mains a few years ago. “The success of that was that we kept everyone advised.” Meanwhile, a councillor has flagged uphis concerns about sig-


nage from the gyratory system into the High Street. Kent High- ways will only allow blue and white signs, indicating no access except for buses and taxis, rather than the more recognisable ‘No entry’ signs. Cllr Malcolm Robertson warned of “great difficulties” enforc-


ing the blue signs. He also pointed out that once drivers turn into the High Street they would be committed to continue along it. There would no longer be the “safety valve” of turning into Mill Street as there is now.


MAIDSTONE has missed out on a presti- gious ‘Purple Flag’ for its night-time econ- omy – and town centre managers are “very disappointed”. They lost an appeal against the panel’s


initial decision to refuse the award. One reason for refusal was that public transport was “inadequate” to get people out of town after midnight. In the appeal, town centre manager Bill


Moss said the town has 6,000 reasonably priced parking spaces, an efficient taxi sys- tem and private hire service. In any case, he maintained, people who live in the 1,000-plus local flats tend to walk to and from town at night.


8 East


Maidstone mayor Cllr Brian Mortimer cuts the ribbon to offi- cially open the town’s new volunteering shop.


Volunteer shop an instant success ANEWvolunteering shop was doing a roaring trade within hours of opening. Volunteers rushed to sign up as soon as the mayor, Cllr Brian Mortimer, had cut the ribbon at The Mall in Maidstone. "Everyone is jumping for joy," said town centre manager Bill


Moss. The shop, next to Good Earth and accessed from the centre's


King Street entrance, is a unique partnership between Voluntary Action Maidstone (VAM), The Mall and Town Centre Manage- ment (TCM). Mr Moss explained: "Within the first few hours of opening, the


staff spoke to 62 people who put their names down on a list of prospective volunteers, and 10 of them had already agreed to help their chosen charity." VAM’s chief executive, Sue Towns Okorodudu, said: “We are


very grateful to The Mall for arranging for us to have the prem- ises, to TCM who have brokered the arrangements and arranged and paid for the graphics, and for Fusion and Cllr Mike FitzGer- ald and Carol Vizzard for helping VAM with the logistics.”


Fewer empty shops than most towns


THERE are fewer empty shops in Maidstone than in most other towns in Kent. Its vacancy rate of 10% com-


pares to 14.5% nationally – and it is even higher elsewhere in the county: Folkestone 15%, Ramsgate 15%, Ashford 17% and Margate 37%. In Chatham and Dartford the vacancy rate is 14% and in Gravesend 13%. The real excep- tion is Whitstable where only


Town loses appeal over night-time award


Before the appeal, Mr Moss said that the Purple Flag assessors had originally rec- ommended a ‘pass’ for Maidstone but the panel – one of whom was a licensing offi- cer from Canterbury – overruled them. Cllr Malcolm Robertson said Maidstone


has as good a bus service as any Kent town. He added that Canterbury is a university


city,which has better buses for that reason. But it did not mean you could not have a good nightlife just because you did not have a university. There had also been comments about


two units are empty (1.4%). Maidstone Town Centre man-


ager Bill Moss said: “It rein- forces what we have said – yes, we have empty shops but, my golly, so have other towns.” Mr Moss said 50% of Maid-


stone’s shops are independent. “There’s never been a bet-


ter time to go into retail. You can do good deals on rent and service charges with shopping centres,” he added.


Maidstone’s attractions being limited to young people and about its “handful” of restaurants. But Mr Moss said his team had counted 35 town centre restaurants and he claimed 7,000 people, including visitors to the theatre, cinema and bowling alley, used Maidstone on Saturday night for reasons other than its nightclubs. After the appeal, Mr Moss said: “Yes,


very disappointing that our appeal was un- successful but so be it.We know we have a very safe and secure town centre after dark. “Of interest, though, is the view of other


town centre managements in Kent, all of whom look to Maidstone as ‘best practice’ and are surprised at the outcome.”


To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330


by Peter Erlam


Town is star turn in tough times Accolades for ‘vibrant’ centre


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