Funky parties A COMPANY offering chil- dren’s parties has been given permission to replace an indus- trial unit at 48 Wheeler Street, Maidstone. Janet Swannell-Holroyd has
been given the go-ahead to run Funky Footsteps from the building, on condition that daily opening hours are re- stricted to 9am-9pm. Maidstone Council also stated that the premises should be used for no other purpose than for hosting children’s
parties and
dance/performanceworkshops. The building was, until re- cently, leased by a marketing company, having previously been a dance school and carpet warehouse. Funky Footsteps was set up
in August 2011 and offers two- hour dance parties for children aged three to 11.
Training centre JUBILEE Church wants to con- vert a car showroom in Brunswick Street, Maidstone into a training area for young people to learn job skills. The planning application, which will be determined by Maidstone Council, relates to the site of Steve Sargent Cars and includes the introduction of office space for the Restoring Hands charity and a storage area for food and clothing. Twelve parking spaces would be provided.
‘Rates forced me out of town’
THE owner of a dry cleaning company has blamed soaring business rates from forcing to move his business from the town centre to Vinters Park. Glenn Bushen had run Beau-
care from Gabriels Hill for 26 years, but says the two-mile move to Snowdon Parade will save him thousands of pounds a year He told Downs Mail: “This is
not something we have done lightly, but had we stayed in the town another two years, I think the crazy rates would have cost me my business. “No one wants to work 10-
hour days, six days a week with nothing to show for it, other than covering the rates and rent.” He says the rates on his slightly smaller premises in Snowdon Parade are a tenth of those at his old premises in Gabriels Hill, but still allow him to offer a complete service and with parking right outside. Mr Bushen says his town cen-
tre rates bill was nearly £6,500 a year–morethanhis rent–and with the lease coming up in No- vember he started looking else- where. He said: “The Mall’s manager,
Paul Alcock, went out of his way to find somewhere cheaper for us to stay in town, but while we could find cheaper rents, the
than the Government.” George Bastone, of Ark Trad-
ing, moved his workwear busi- ness to The Mall two years ago and says unless he can find an- other trader to share the over- heads hewill also have to leave. He said: “I managed to get a
good deal on the rent here be- cause the unit had been empty, pretty much, for four years, but the rates are ridiculous.” He has to find over £1,000 a
rates were non-negotiable. One three-storey building in King Street would have cost me £12,000 a year in rates alone.” Mr Bushen said there was no
point asking the borough coun- cil for a rate reduction.He did so three years ago, and got £60 off, but the council simply added it to his bill the following year. He said: “It’s hardly surprising
there are empty units in the town. This lack of help for small businesses will simply see more shops close.” Mr Alcock admitted the issue
was causing concern, saying: “Our High Street and Fremlin Walk have some of the highest rated buildings in Kent. It wouldn’t be so bad if the money came back to Maidstone, rather
week for rates and has called on the council to think “outside the box” to come up with newways of offering some form of subsidy while businesses establish them- selves. A spokesman for Maidstone Council said: “Supporting Maid- stone’s economy is a priority for the borough council, and we offer significant support to local businesses and shops, including business rate relief schemes for small and rural businesses, sig- nificant investment in the High Street regeneration scheme, and funding for Town Centre Man- agement and the Town Team. “Maidstone’s shop vacancy
levels have remained stable for many years, and we are pleased to see new businesses confi- dently investing in town centre locations, includingWagamama, The Range, Brenchley, Pops tea bar, Giggling Squid and Morri- son’s Local.”
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