Maidstone Business Forum / Night Economy Forum update
THE NHS and Primary Care Trust should be asked to help fund Maidstone’s Urban Blue bus, the night economy busi- ness forum was told. Forum chairman Paul Alcock
has written to Prime Minister David Cameron pointing out that the bus gets through £2- 3,000-worth of bandages and dressings each year – saving the ambulance service and the NHS an equivalent sum. The Urban Blue bus, a Maid-
stone Town Centre Management initiative, was launched in 2009
Guesswork
over gasworks SOUTHERN Gas Networks, who are about to start digging up Maidstone town centre, have come under fire from TCM for poor communication. With less than sixweeks to go before work starts in Stone Street and Knightrider Street, neither Maidstone Borough Council nor TCM had been consulted about the work or given any detailed information. Town centre manager Bill
Moss said: “If people know what is happening, they can plan for it – butwithout that in- formation, we are in the dark. “When we had a similar situ-
ation a few years ago, we were able to issue traders with newsletters to tell them what was happening but this time, we’ve been able to do nothing.” The replacement of a gas
main in Stone Street is due to start on April 12 and last for up to a year, causing widespread traffic congestion. However, TCM maintains it is
going to push SGN to lay on extra teams so work can be completed in a shorter time. There are fears that compen-
sation claims from traders af- fected by the roadworks could run into millions. The gas utility companies op-
erate a compensation scheme for shopkeepers adversely af- fected by schemes such as this. However, with repercussions anticipated throughout the town the question is just how widespread claims could be.
Booze clampdown TRADING standards chiefs are poised to get tough with traders who sell alcohol to under-age drinkers. Jason Reilly told the Maid-
stone night economy business forum that officers had recently caught two businesses selling alcohol to under-age teens. The traders concerned would
be prosecuted, he said, and their licences reviewed. Cur- rent policy was to suspend li- cences, but repeat offenders could lose their licences.
12 East The Invicta Jazz Orchestras perform outside Town Hall last year Jazz event sponsors needed
MAIDSTONE’S town centre man- agement is looking for sponsors for the summer jazz festival. The festival, which takes place
on the last Saturday in June, is nowin its 12th year. Ronald White Photography has sponsored thefestival for thepast three years, but its contract has come to an end. It costs about £3,000 a year to put on the jazz festival and some shops, such as the Golden Boot in Gabriel’s Hill, sponsor theirownparticulararea.
BUSINESSES need to put their money where their mouth is to keep Maidstone’s taxi mar- shalling scheme on the road. There are only sufficient
funds “in the pot” to keep the scheme in operation until the end of May – and that includes £1,000 from Cllr Malcolm Robertson’s devolved budget
TowncentremanagerBillMoss
said: “Theaimis for shoppersand visitors to be within earshot of music at all times during the day. We’vebuilt the festival upover12 years and it would be a pity to abandon it, so we need to find a new format. It is a really terrific day for Maidstone.” If one main sponsor cannot be
found, TCM would consider sev- eral smaller sponsors. “Other- wise,wewill have to find away to make itwork,” said Mr Moss.
and a contribution from pub chain JDWetherspoon. The scheme, whereby two people monitor and control ac- tivity in the town’s main taxi ranks from 1am-5am at week- ends, has led to a reduction in crime and violence when the pubs and clubs turn out. It costs about £8,000 a year to
as part of its bid to make the town the safest night-time venue in Kent. By day, the double decker
bus, pictured right, travels around schools and other or- ganisations to educate pupils on a range of subjects, from teenage pregnancies to drug awareness. But on Saturday nights it is parked in the town centre, to re- lieve stress and pressure on the ambulance and A&E service. It has an onboard medical
area to treat minor injuries, en- abling the bus to be used at con-
THE second Maidstone Fringe Festival is all set to make sweet music over the May Day bank holiday. Dozens of acts have already confirmed they are ready to rock androllatsomeofthe town’s major music venues for the five-day festival, which kicks off on Thursday,May 3. Last year’s inaugural event was a huge success and went off
certs and public events. Paul Alcock said: “It’s not
right to refer to the bus as a ‘booze bus’. It does far more than deal with just drinkers. It deals with everything.” The bus was summoned to Parliament last year to help launch Baroness Helen Newlove’s Community Alcohol Partnership. TCM’s next MaidSafe initia-
tive will be to put advisory la- bels on water bottles handed out from the Urban Blue Bus and by the street pastors.
Fringe festival plans forging ahead for bank holiday
without a hitch. Town centre manager Bill Moss told the town’s night economy business forum: “It was a gamble on our part, but one which paid off.” Police confirmed there had
been no incidents or reports of noise disturbance. Joint organ- iser Zoe Sparkle said she was now seeking the support of local businesses, who could ad- vertise in a variety of ways – on
a promotional flyer, billboards and online. Venues that have already agreed to participate include Pizza Express, Bar Chocolate, Babylon, The Style and Winch and Earls. Artists confirmed include Syd Arthur, David Migden and the Dirty Words, Sandy Wilkinson and Lee Highwood, the Butterfly Cartel and The Soundcasters.
Town bids for
Portas cash MAIDSTONE is bidding for cash to give its town centre a Mary Portas revamp. Members of the town centre business forum have been given copies of the Portas Review, from retailmarketing consultant Mary Portas, about the future of Britain’s high streets. They hope the town will be
one of 12 chosen to run a pilot scheme based on her findings. The winners will share a £1 million fund to breathe new life into their town centres. Town centre manager Bill
Moss said: “Every town in the country will be hoping to get a look in. However, you have to demonstrate a strong bond be- tween business and the local authority, which we have.”
Jubilee celebrations VINTAGE cars from the 1950s will roar into Maidstone for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. TCM is working with traders
in Market Buildings on a 1950s music event, and the cars will line up in the Jubilee Square. Children will be invited to tea
with pensioners who remember the coronation, and a plaque will be unveiled.
Businesses urged to keep taxi scheme running
run the service,which taxi driv- ers say has been a huge help in reducing early morning inci- dents. Town centre manager Bill
Moss said: “It is such a good service, we can’t see it close.” He said several businesses had pledged to help, but this had not yet been forthcoming.
Have you got news for us? Phone our News Desk on 01622 734735
by Jane Shotliff NHS ‘should help fund Blue bus’
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64