News


‘Wartime’ market closes after 70 years of trading


A GROWERS’ local co-operative which traded successfully in Maidstone for 70 years has become a victim of the times.


Maidstone Country Market cele-


brated its anniversary in April. However, with fewer producers


and customers the market commit- tee could no longer make ends meet. Difficulty parking near the hall


and the pressure on producers to cut costs to compete with nearby cheap supermarketswere all factors which led to the market’s demise, according to former secretary Sue Chartier, pictured inset. As producers retired, it became a struggle to replace them. Sue said: “Unfortunately the out- goings became more than the in- come, and even though the hall rentalwas not expensive by today’s standards,we could not make ends meet.” “Although all our produce was home-baked and home-made, shop- pers will only pay so much – espe- cially when they can buy similar things cheaper at a supermarket.” The Maidstone Country Market began in April 1945 with surplus


fruit and vegetables grown as a re- sult of the war effort and soon be- came popular with housewives. Its previous namewas the WI market. Selling cakes and bread, pre-


serves, crafts, plants and local pro- duce long before the trend for farmers’ markets, customers flocked to the Maidstone country market from neighbouring towns. Held in the United Reformed Church Hall,Week Street, one lady said she had been a regular cus- tomer everyweek for 27 years. Sue was a customer in the 1980s,


when she worked at the police sta- tion in Palace Avenue, and became


a producer, selling plants after her retirement in 1993. Aresident of Otham, she also par- ticipates in the Bearsted country market, which she hopes will now benefit from additional custom. The Bearsted market takes place


in the WI Hall, The Street, from 10am to 11.15am each Saturday. Sue said: “The members wish to


thank all their customers and helpers for their support over the years.” Other local country markets can


be found at www.country-mar- kets.co.uk – the next nearest are at Rochester and Tenterden.


downsmail.co.uk Gifts help to


calm patients REPRESENTATIVES


from


Aylesford and Eccles WI visited Pye Oliverward at Maidstone Hos- pital to hand over more than 50 comfort blankets and muffs, made for dementia patients. The comforters are created using


a variety of fabrics and materials and have attachments that patients can touch and explore. Patient experience matron Chris-


tine Steele said: “Some dementia patients can become agitated and these blankets and muffs help to calm them.” Patients are given a blanket or


muff to keep while they are in hos- pital which they can then take home with them. They are all made with materials which can be taken with a patient into a scan or X-ray. Ann Butterworth, from Ayles-


ford and Eccles WI, said: “The idea came from my daughter. We wanted to make some for our local hospital so I phoned and men- tioned the idea to Christine, who thought itwas fantastic.” Ladies from the WI would bene-


fit greatly from donations of rib- bon, small soft toys, material, different types of wool, sewing cot- ton and large buttons. Donations can be left in a designated box at the main reception desk of Maid- stone Hospital.


Competition brewing as coffee giant joins the parade


IF Britain is a nation of tea drinkers, why isMaidstone’s King Street set to become the coffee capital of Kent? US coffee giant Starbucks has an- nounced it is to open its latest shop in Colman Parade – in direct compe- tition with other leading coffee brands Costa Coffee (opposite) and Caffe Nero (two doors away). The coffee shop will be open from 7am-7pm, in a bid to entice workers at both ends of the day (and from 8.30am-5pm Sundays). It will also offer two free pre-bookable meeting rooms with wi-fi on the first floor as


another inducement to business cus- tomers. The new Starbucks will create 20


full and part-time jobs in the town, 95%of which will go to local people, according to Leon King, operations manager for Cobra Restaurants, which manages the 15 Starbucks franchises in Kent and Sussex. As well as being home to several independent eateries, King Street also houses the Heart of Flavour cafe bar and deli run by the Heart of Kent Hospice. Now, crepe, waffle and sundae


speciality dessert franchise Creams Café has announced it is to open in the former YatesWine Lodge/Ink Bar building at the corner of King Street and Church Street. In Market Buildings, another pop-


ular coffee shop is also set to change hands.


Harper’s, with its distinctive decor


and style, has been based in the town for more than 22 years, selling glamorous gifts and unusual arte- facts, as well as coffee and snacks. Proprietor Kate Joy, who has owned the business for the past


eight years, has decided she needs to concentrate on business commit- ments across the Channel, in France, and has sold the business to another local entrepreneur. Harper’s has always supported


local artists and will continue to fea- ture quirky and unusual pieces, as well as its unique and eclectic range of designer homeware, jewellery, cards and gifts. As for the current complement of


coffee in the town? According to Leon King: “There are plenty of cof- fee drinking customers to go round!”


Metro Bank moves in Student-style


APRIME town centre building has been demolished to make way for a new “hole in the wall”. The former Burger King build-


New president


of Inner Wheel FRANCES McGill, pictured cen- tre, is the new president of the Inner Wheel Club of Maidstone. The Inner Wheel Club will continue to work hard this year to raise money for local charities. Pic- tured with Frances is the new vice- president,Anne Goodliffe and past president Sue Kinsman.


46


ing, on the corner of the High Street andWeek Street, and its fast food franchise, has been razed to the ground in readiness for another bank. The fast-expanding Metro Bank


is in the throes of redeveloping the site, along with that of the former Peppermint fashion store, to house the latest in its chain of high street banks.


Launched in 2010, Metro Bank was the first new high street


Maidstone Town September 2015


bank to open in the UK for 150 years. The branch intends to be open


before Christmas. Meanwhile, Burger King is doing


a roaring trade further alongWeek Street in the former C&H Fabrics building.


Elsewhere, major structural


work continues to take place on the buildings that were destroyed and damaged in the blaze that ripped through part ofWeek Street earlier in the summer, meaning scaffolding seems set to be a part of the town centre landscape for many months to come.


store to open TOP British design brand Jack Wills has decided to give Maid- stone a go. The student-style fashions will be


going on sale in the former La Senza store in Fremlin Walk for a trial six-month period fromAugust 21, creating 18 full-time and part- time jobs.


Previously, fans of the clothing


chain have had to travel to Bluewa- ter, TunbridgeWells or Canterbury.


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