Christmas cheer for Fremlin Walk
STORE operators in Maid- stone’s Fremlin Walk can look ahead to the busiest time of the year with optimism after it was announced that the shopping complex would be fully let by Christmas. Following the unveiling of fashion clothes store Superdry, at No 27, in July, other arrivals
have added further cheer. Menkind recently moved to
No 8, next to Goldsmiths, en- abling fashion retailerWest One to open a shop at Menkind’s for- mer home at No 23, next to La Senza. The Fragrance Shop, next to
Waterstone’s, was due to open as Downs Mail went to press,
Parking scheme back on agenda APROPOSAL to convert agricultural land into an 18-space car park to serve All Saints Church in Church Lane, West Farleigh, has been resubmitted. The scheme would involve the laying of reinforced plas-
tic mesh on an existing grassed surface. According to All Saints PCC’s planning documents, “this method of park- ing has been used successfully in other sensitive locations including heritage assets such as the National Trust prop- erty at Scotney Castle, near Lamberhurst, without causing harm”. The existing car park serving All Saints is located at the
end of Church Lane and adjacent to the entrance to Court Lodge Farm House. This provides parking for up to 10 ve- hicles on an informal arrangement. The design statement continued: “The proposed parking
area will ensure that cars are parked off the public high- way and the adjoining private road, which is often used when awedding takes place or there is a large gathering of people at All Saints. “This causes considerable inconvenience to local resi-
dents and congestion on the highway and a danger to pedestrians. The proposed parking area will be fenced off from the adjoining land by a new post and rail fence,meas- uring approximately 1.2 metres high. “New native species tree planting will be carried out on
the adjacent land to complement the existing parkland trees.” Maidstone Council will decide on the planning ap- plication.
Village centre study A FEASIBILTY study is to be commis- sioned so that East Farleigh residents can consider suggestions for environmental and traffic improvements in the village centre. More than 220 residents responded to
a survey circulated by East Farleigh Vil- lage Plan Action Group and 61% sup- ported the study, with 25 of these agreeing to help with funding. The study will consider options for lo- cation and design improvements after taking account of comments made by residents in survey responses and the parish council. Possibilities include:
Car parking and access improvements for village school. Road improvements at Lower Road, Station Hill, Vicarage Lane junction. New central village green. Small discreet residential development to fund improvements. The Village Plan Group plans to stage
an exhibition of the study and give all residents an opportunity to comment.
Continued form page one customer liaison officer for Fremlin Walk, who served with the Second Battalion of the Scots Guards. In the lead- up to the service, centre staff and shop assistants sold pop- pies at Fremlin Walk within the complex in their own time and breaks, to raise money on behalf of the Royal British Le- gion. Two days later, Maidstone
22 South
meaning the complex has a 0% vacancy rate. Other vacancies in the town centre are 10%, below the na- tional average of 14%. LloydWright, centre manager
at Fremlin Walk, said: “Given the retailer interest, our 0% va- cancy rate and the investment in the town centre regeneration,
it is clear that Maidstone has a bright future. We have a stylish offer that is reflective of what our catchment area demands. “Despite reports in trade press which list towns likeMaidstone as being hard hit by recession, our retailers trade well and we have excellent relationships with them.”
Summer is Maidstone’s prettiest child!
FIFTEEN-month-old Summer Scammell is officially Maidstone and Malliugs’ prettiest child after winning a Downs Mail competition in conjunction with Maidstone Photo Factory. The tot polled most votes in our Pretty as a Picture competition, which was open to children aged three months to three years.
After getting through an opening round that attracted over 1,200 votes, Summer, daughter of Chris Scammell and Hayley Bramley, polled more support than fellow fi- nalists Lainey and Isla to claim the inaugural crown.
Pictured is Summer with
her proud parents (and dog Marley) being presented with the winner’s canvas print, worth £500, by Tim Grimes of Maidstone Photo Factory. Over 40 entrants of the competition received a free sitting at the Headcorn studios of Maidstone Photo Factory and a complemen- tary 6x4 photograph to keep.
Villagers to cut ribbon on new path VILLAGERS at Boughton Monchelsea will be celebrating the official opening of a long-awaited footpath on Saturday, December 3. The new path running along Beresfords Hill has taken a number of years to come to fruition
and will provide a safe route from The Quarries to the heart of the village. Phase one of the route was completed several years ago but this section, which runs behind
the hedge bordering the grounds of Beresfords, completes the link with The Quarries. The path and associated fencing have cost approximately £32,000 to construct and this was funded by the parish council with a £2,000 contribution from Cllr Eric Hotson’smember’s highway fund. The parish council thanked the owners of Beresfords for their co-operation in entering into the nec- essary legal agreement allowing the footpath to be constructed at this location. Threeparishioners spanning several generations,whowill be using the path on a regular basis, have been invited to cut the ribbon at 10.30am.
Property landlord looks to be crime head
LANDLORD FergusWilson (63) says he will stand for election as Kent’s first police crime commissioner. Boughton Monchelsea resident MrWilson,
who owns hundreds of properties in and around Maidstone with wife Judith, says he will be running for the top post, which will take on all the key duties of the Kent Police Authority, including the power to set budgets and hire the chief constable. He will not run for a party, but wants to disassociate himself from the independents. “A lot of people look on them as a party,” he said. “I will give my-
mayor Cllr Brian Mortimer joined military and civic dignitaries, local councillors and the public to remember those who have been killed in conflict, fighting for their coun- try.
The annual parade through Maidstone’s town centre saw more than 700 people taking part. Led by the band of the Sal- vation Army, contingents in- cluded 36 Engineer Regiment
self a name like Kent First, or something like that. It will not be a political thing. “As a landlord of many properties, I have
been a victim of crime up to 200 times. A lot of this is petty crime like people stealing lead. There have been anumber of timeswhenpeo- ple have moved into a new home and found that copper has been stolen so they don’t have central heating. “I understand the problems in Kent and want to do my bit to help reduce crime.”
The election is scheduled for November 2012.
Town comes out in force for Remembrance Day
(Search), the Maidstone branch of the Royal British Legion and British Army Association, St John Ambulance, and Army and Sea Cadets. The parade began from Week
Street and marched along the High Street, past the Town Hall, across the bridge gyratory and to the Cenotaph on The Broad- way for the service of remem- brance. The service, led by the Rev.
Canon Christopher Morgan- Jones, Major Grayson Williams of the Salvation Army and Padre Danny Connolly of 36 En- gineer Regiment, included a two-minute silence. The mayor laid the first wreath on behalf of the council and the people of Maidstone. Afterwards, the parade marched back into Maidstone, where the mayor took the salute outside the Town Hall.
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