News
downsmail.co.uk Simply blooming in pandemic
WHILST Coronavirus has undoubtedly had a negative impact on some companies, one digital marketing firm has blossomed in the crisis.
Matthew Dorrington (26), of Headcorn, has seen Simple Adver- tising’s client list burgeon during a year of lockdowns. And on January 18, after increas-
ing his staff to four, with another two possible roles in the offing, the company gained limited status. He said: “Like a lot of start-ups, it came from a pretty dark place. I was made redundant five years ago from a firm in London and de- cided to strike out on my own. "It was really tough in the early
days. If an invoice was paid, I ate. I lived from cheque to cheque. But
Drug dealer is
sent to prison A DRUG dealer who supplied heroin and crack cocaine from a flat in Maidstone has been jailed. Cameron Bennett (20) used a bi-
cycle to deliver drugs to local users in the town. Bennett was arrested after being seen making exchanges with three suspected class A drug users be- hind a shop near Broadway. His High Street flat was searched, and 134 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine were seized. Cannabis was also recovered. Bennett was charged with two counts of supplying Class A drugs and assault.
Appearing before Maidstone Crown Court, Bennett pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment at a young offenders’ institution.
A second suspect linked to the investigation remains on bail.
in the last year, I have managed to go from a sole trader to becoming incorporated as a limited company with four people on the books.” Now he is looking to take on
search optimisation lead or two ap- prentices, to be moulded into the Simple Advertising ethos. One pivotal point in the com-
pany’s development was to move into the Business Terrace in Maid- stone, which gave Matthew the space to think and plan ahead. He added: “Being here, I can re-
ally focus without distraction, but I always feel there’s support avail-
able if I need it – even if it’s just someone to bounce ideas off. “Taking on my first employee was
a big step, so it’s amazing to think we’re about to become a team of five. I can’t wait to see where we’ll be by the end of the year.” His focus is on Kent-based clients with whom he can have a closer relationship.
Matthew now counts a garden
centre, an interior designer, mort- gage brokers, care provider and builders among his clients. He currently works from the of- fice while staff operate from home.
Call to review
‘Smart’ risks SO-CALLED smart motorways are unsafe and should be re- viewed, the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner claims. Matthew Scott said the method
of increasing capacity by convert- ing the hard shoulder into an extra lane did not work. Calling for extra refuge areas on the M20, Mr Scott called for Government to intervene. Mr Scott is running for re-election in May.
Woodland car park revised
BEARSTED Woodland Trust (BWT) has revised the design of its plans for a car park off the A20. The new design moves the proposed entrance from the Gore Cottage ac- cess to an “entirely separate” location. The new entry point will lead only to the car park. A spokesman for the trust said: “BWT believes this will meet the con-
cerns expressed by local residents regarding congestion at the original ac- cess point.”
Centre slump
FOOTFALL in Maidstone town centre slumped from a target of 2,231,792 to 1,706,128 in the third quarter (up to January 1). Maidstone Borough Council’s economic development team says this was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and expects a recovery when restrictions are lifted.
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info@downsmail.co.uk or call a member of the team on 01622 630330.
Editorial Editor Simon Finlay
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downsmail.co.uk Editorial team: Online news editor Jade Schopman
jade.schopman@
downsmail.co.uk Chris Lawson
chris.lawson@
downsmail.co.uk Lindsay Roberts
lindsay.roberts@
downsmail.co.uk Obituaries Neil Nixon
neilnixon22@gmail.com
4 Sales
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