A man behind two failed bids to open a nightclub says he is determined to keep battling to bring an exciting new venue to a town.

Dominic Browne, 22, wants to give young people in Ashford “a nightlife they have never seen before”.

So far he has suffered setbacks in his search for locations for his DJB Nightclub – firstly eyeing up a site under a Travelodge before looking to move into an empty Tile Giant store.

But he told KentOnline he is committed to finding the right spot for the new venue, which would focus on live music and double up as a community space.

Ashford used to be home to several nightclubs – including Liquid in East Hill and M20 at Eureka Park. But, like in most towns across the county, that number has dwindled.

Cameo, near the railway station, is all that’s left.

Mr Browne, who recently moved to Kent from Hertfordshire, said: “At the moment there is only one nightclub in Ashford and I want to give young people a nightlife they have never seen before.

“After visiting other nightclubs nearby I wasn't happy with the experience so it drove me to want to provide a better service for people.

“Young people at the moment are having to go to Canterbury for nights out and parents will feel happier knowing that their children are local and not having to make a long return journey at night from another town.

“There is a real need for it, but we need to find the right location so it doesn't disturb residents.”

Mr Browne initially submitted plans to open the venue in Elwick Place below the Travelodge but withdrew the application over concerns for the hotel and the size of the unit.

He then looked at opening in the now vacant Tile Giant unit in Mace Lane but said landlords were not on board with the idea.

“We withdrew the plans for Elwick Place because I don't want hotel guests to feel uncomfortable and I feel the capacity wasn't big enough for the services we want to provide,” he said.

“We are looking at alternative locations at the moment but we haven't found anything suitable.”

Once the right location has been found, Mr Browne says DJB Nightclub could be open as soon as April and big-name artists have already been lined up to perform.

It is set to create 46 new jobs and could be open until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays.

When the former plans were submitted for the unit in Elwick Place, residents welcomed the news saying the competition could bring much-needed footfall to the town.

It was earmarked for the unit below the Travelodge previously set for Afro-Caribbean restaurant Dansaki before those plans fell through.

While it will only be open for club nights two days a week, there are plans to expand its offerings at other times.

Ian Sen, the finance manager behind the new business, explained: “We want people to know the nightclub will be for the people of Ashford, run by people in Ashford and it will employ people in Ashford.

“It is not just for 18- to 25-year-olds, even though they will be the main audience.

“It is going to be a place for everyone – whether they want hen nights or coffee mornings, corporate events or weddings. It’s exactly what the town needs.

“Other units in Elwick Place would have been ideal but it was more difficult than we anticipated getting everyone on board as the landlords want the units to be filled by restaurants.

“The funding is already sorted out so we can bring it forward quickly as soon as the right location is found.”

The pair have also promised to invest heavily in security so that people feel safe inside.

Mr Browne added: “I have been to clubs before where the security has been so lax and I want to make sure everyone feels safe.

“For that reason, we will have a dedicated security team so everyone without exception will be security checked and ID will be crucial.

“We will have a metal scanner and a machine that will check for fake IDs because we want parents to know their children are safe.”

Anyone who may be able to help with the location search can contact Mr Browne on ashford@djbnightclub.co.uk.