Town Centre Management update: Maidstone Business Forum Smile – you’re


on camera! THE council is considering buying a camera to catch mo- torists driving up the bottom end ofMaidstone High Street. Although signs are now in


place warning motorists that only buses and taxis are al- lowed, drivers continue to flout the rules. Drivers who want to get out


of town via Mill Street should now come into the centre via Earl Street and Pudding Lane, not up the western end of the High Street. MBC’s John Littlemore told


the Town Centre Management’s night economy forum that a “nicking” camera, as opposed to a “filming” camera, was being considered by the council. Town Centre manager Bill


Moss said: “If you were to ticket everyone currently com- ing up the High Street, you would be able to wipe out the Greek national debt.”


CCTV service


is ‘bulletproof’ MAIDSTONE’S CCTV system is now bulletproof, the town’s night economy business forum was told. The new operators at Med-


way Council’s control centre had installed a second tele- phone line so that if either the BT or the Virgin linewas to fail, the other would be operative. The partnership between Maidstone and Medway was now well-established and would soon be formalised with Gravesend and Swale. New op- erators were being recruited, the meeting was told.


More mobility


scooters needed BUSINESSES are being asked if they can spare some cash to help get the town’s older folk around the shops. Three of the town centre’s Shopmobility scooters have given up the ghost after six or seven years of taking the eld- erly and disabled around town. Thereusedtobetwo of the scooters stationed in Fremlin Walk and four in The Mall, but these have now been halved. With the scooters costing be- tween £2,000 and £2,500 each, the town centre management is hoping local businesses will step forward and offer to help replace the worn-out vehicles.


Regeneration boost MAIDSTONE’S High Street re- generation project will stimu- late £4,500,000 extra spending in the town and about 100 new jobs, according to an independ- ent economic impact assess- ment by consultancy, Colin Buchanan and Partners.


26 East Helping drinkers back on feet


CASH from the £90,000 Baroness Newlove award to Maidstone will be used to help buy bottles of water, blankets and flip flops for youngsters suffering the effects of a night on the town. Maidstone was one of 10 areas


in the UK singled out by the Baroness for funding to tackle al- cohol abuse on the streets. The county town, which has already received widespread commendation for its Commu- nity Alcohol Partnerships model, will get the cash, spread


over two years, to help further educate youngsters about the dangers of binge and underage drinking. Much of it will go on a high- profile awareness campaign in the town’s 14 senior schools, as well as supporting the innova- tive Urban Blue Bus. However, the night economy business forum heard that some of themoney could also be used to buy aluminium foil blankets and flip flops which would be given out by the street pastors and on the Urban Blue Bus.


Hill next on list for makeover


THE re-paving of Gabriel’s Hill couldbeonthe cardsasthe third phase of the Maidstone town centre revamp. Kent County Council has pri- oritised the replacement of the hill’s uneven paving stones and now has the money in its budget to proceed, Town Cen- tre Management business forum was told. The pavements are set on


sand,which moveswhenwater washes down the hill, Town Centre manager Bill Moss told the meeting. Granite paving, similar to


that used in the High Street, would be perfect, according to Mr Moss, but would depend on budget. A decision is expected to be


made within the next few weeks.


in town centre A TOWN centre property with a colourful past seems set to re- open – as a Thai restaurant. Project Blue, formerly The


Green Room, in Bank Street, is under new ownership and re- furbishment work is about to get underway. Meanwhile, across the road


on the corner of the High Street and Pudding Lane, a former furniture store is taking shape as the Buddha Belly, an Asian restaurant that also has a branch in Bromley. Other premises that have just opened or are about to open in- clude Milano’s Pizza in the High Street, Tiger in Week Street, and Paddy Power in Gabriel’s Hill.


Music weekend THERE will be no “jamming” in the park at Maidstone this year. Instead, young people will be invited to Switch on the Music in Brenchley Gardens on the weekend of September 8. Golding Vision, the charitable


Maidstone’s GreenWeek, pictured at The Mall centre last year Focus on cycling and recycling


MUMS, dads and children will be encouraged to get on their bikes when Maidstone Goes Green later this month. Town Centre Management,


working in conjunction with the council, has organised its annual eco initiative on August 23 and 24, when there will be cycles, maps and promotion of the town’s cycle routes in Jubilee Square. Meanwhile, in The Mall, the


focus will be on encouraging green initiatives in the home.


There will be arts and craft activi- ties for children, who will be en- couraged to reduce, re-use and recycle, while their parentswill be urged to take up home compost- ing and other “green” practices. The GreenWeek,which started


a number of years ago with an ef- fort to reduce the use of plastic carrier bags, has become a popu- lar annual event, timed to coin- cide with school holidays when children can be educated about the importance of recycling.


arm of social housing provider Golding Homes, has offered to sponsor this year’smusic event, which is being organised by the Switch Café. It will see up-and-coming


bands from around Maidstone performing on the park band- stand.


Memorial garden THE grassland in Romney Place, behind the bus station, is to get amakeover, thanks to the Blackthorn Trust. The charity has drawn up a


plan for a sculptured garden on the land vacated a few years ago by Shorn the Sheep. The trust hopes people will donate favourite trees and shrubs in memory of their loved ones.


You can e-mail the Downs Mail — info@downsmail.co.uk New openings


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