Petition submitted over shopping centre closure

A petition opposing the closure of a Kent shopping centre has been presented to a council.

Campaigners are calling for a full debate by Ashford Borough Council and for parts of Park Mall shopping centre that are still in good condition to be retained.

David Hebditch - an investor in Baby Arts Studios, a business affected by the proposals - handed in the signatures and made a speech at the meeting on Thursday night at the Civic Centre.

More than 1,000 people had signed the petition when it was presented to the council.

Vince, who owns The Record Store in the shopping centre, said he will try moving his business to a nearby location.

"What the council in my opinion have done is helped me establish a business - thank you very much - and then made me sign this death warrant," he said.

Speaking to the BBC, he added that he did not know if his business will survive moving premises.

"It does seem pointless to knock down a pretty good shopping area," he said.

One woman said the town is losing its identity and the council should be encouraging more people to visit.

"I just think it's so sad," she said. "There's nowhere I can go to get clothes anymore."

Another woman, who was visiting the shopping centre with her family, told the BBC that it was a pity that the centre could close.

"We've got a lot of nail bars and things like that, rather than affordable shops for children's clothes and adults clothes," she said.

In a statement, Ashford Borough Council Leader Cllr Noel Ovenden said that despite their best efforts, the shopping centre is failing.

“Dwindling footfall and structural decline have forced our hand and hard decisions are necessary to halt the drain on our limited resources," he said, adding that it costs local taxpayers over half a million pounds a year.

Cllr Ovenden also said that they are looking at alternatives for the area.

“Since 2015 Park Mall has been key to driving the revitalisation of our town centre and we are already seeking potential development partners to examine the opportunities for the exciting future of the site."

However he disputed allegations that the council is not in discussions with Park Mall traders or ignoring and not supporting them.

"We’ve been offering a wide range of practical support to help them relocate. What we are not doing is engaging with individuals who claim to speak for tenants but have no current link to the centre."

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