Two shop owners fed up of having to travel to London for good quality Asian produce have opened their own town centre store.

Husband and wife duo Mahesh and Rekha Joshi are behind Imli Cash and Carry which has filled an empty unit in Bank Street, Ashford.

The shop, which sells fresh fruit and vegetable, Indian sweets and namkeen snacks, opened last week in a unit which previously sold homewares next to Oriental Health Oasis and Convenience Store.

It is named after an Indian spice Imli which is known as tamarind in English.

The couple noticed a gap in the market in Ashford and hope their store will save customers lengthy trips to London for good quality Asian produce.

Mrs Joshi said: “We have exotic fruits which typically come in from tropical countries that you can’t get in normal supermarkets.

“We also have puja items, the basic prayer items that people need for every day – there is nowhere in Ashford that sells them.

“We have a good selection of any Asian grocery needs.

“In other shops, the small range is there, not the whole range which is what we have in here.“

Since the official opening, the couple say they had a really good response.

“When we opened we were nervous and not quite sure how it would go but everyone has said it's a good thing we came because there is nothing like this in the area,” said Mrs Joshi.

“It’s a good time for us too as Diwali is on the same day as Halloween this year so lots of people will be celebrating soon.”

The duo have long-owned businesses in Ashford and are also familiar faces in County Square.

Mr Joshi is the owner of Ashford News, an off-licence opposite Yours and the former JobCentre, which expanded into a bigger unit in the shopping centre in 2022.

Mrs Josh is behind Krini's Kreations next door which sells dresses, handmade jewellery, scarves, bags and hats.

She started as a stallholder selling scarves in the shopping centre before opening her own shop in a bid to give people more choice.

Ashford Borough Council says its Empty Property Grant helped to make this opening possible.

It is a scheme that offers grants of up to £10,000 to facilitate and support new businesses opening in empty town centre units.

Imili is open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm.