Bosses at Ashford Designer Outlet say the centre is performing better than ever as it nears its 25th anniversary - but not everyone is happy.

A number of high street business owners say the success of the McArthurGlen-owned complex has “killed” their trade since the tented development opened in March 2000.

About 3.5 million people visit the site each year, and a £90m expansion in 2019 took the total number of shops at the centre past 100.

Manager Peter Heritage says the facility is proving so popular it is now breaking records.

"We’ve actually just had our biggest week ever,” he said.

"Friday, November 29 was the single biggest day the centre has ever had in terms of turnover. The Saturday was then our second biggest-ever day.

"So we're performing really well at the moment and have some great plans for 2025 like new brands and some other additions.

“Next year is going to be very exciting for the centre and will have a real buzz about it.”

But frustrated high street traders say that buzz does not extend to the town centre.

Dhan Rogu, the owner of Variety Cash and Carry in the Lower High Street, says the outlet is “absolutely taking trade away”.

“Small businesses like ours are being killed here and it's made Ashford a ghost town,” the 59-year-old said.

“The town centre is not attractive to people because of this and it means they just go over to the outlet.”

But Mr Heritage says his centre - which employs 1,800 people, including 74% from Ashford - can in fact aid traders in the high street.

"We are very much bringing people into the area with two-thirds of our guests travelling from more than 30 minutes away," he added.

"So I strongly believe a successful town centre and ourselves here at the Designer Outlet can co-exist and both thrive.

"We're very much different to what you would find in a town centre - we're focused on designer brands - with the majority of our brands not trading on high streets.”

Mr Heritage says the centre is “looking at a number of initiatives to support the town centre more”.

“We've recently become a corporate patron of Ashford Museum and that just shows part of our commitment to support local businesses and charities in the area,” he added.

But Geoff Mathews, of Soundcraft Hi-Fi, says the outlet is a “serious problem” for his business, which has been running in Ashford since 1962.

“It's something businesses like ours just cannot really compete with,” the 72-year-old said.

“Prior to the pandemic they added more units to the centre which has made it worse.

"It's just tragic what is happening."

Earlier this year, McArthurGlen increased parking fees at the centre for the second time in less than two years - with the lowest available now set at £2.50 for four hours.

Parking at the complex was originally free for visitors when it first opened in 2000, but the current fees are still lower than those found in the town centre.

Those wishing to park in the town pay £1.30 for one hour in Ashford Borough Council (ABC) car parks, £2.60 for two hours, £3.90 for three hours and £5.20 for four hours.

The authority offered free weekend parking for Christmas shoppers earlier this month, but Mr Rogu thinks more needs to be done.

“The council is not thinking about the town centre - it should be thinking about its car park prices,” he said.

“Rents and bills are sometimes £2,000 a month, so local people should be thought about more as it's so difficult - many businesses have left and are emptying.

"The bottom end of the high street is not being looked after properly. There are a couple of Christmas lights outside during the winter but it's very dark and there are barely any flowers in the summer, so we're just being ignored."

In a statement, ABC says “many factors have affected footfall in the town centre this year”, including recent storms which forced the cancellation of the Carnival of the Baubles parade.

A spokesman said: “We do work with the Designer Outlet to ensure this centre is a success for the whole borough and wider Kent but are focussed on supporting businesses in the town centre.

“The Designer Outlet pulls in shoppers from a much wider area, with the town centre supporting the local town, so they provide a different offer for shoppers.”

ABC says it has recently installed a billboard at the outlet advertising its Love Ashford initiative - a website described as “Ashford’s digital high street”.

“We trying to showcase to visitors what the town centre has to offer,” the spokesman added.

“We provide other support through business grants, an all-year-round events programme to provide other reasons to visit the town centre, plus via our Love Ashford website and social media channels.

“Some businesses prefer to sit back and complain, while not working with the council and partners to improve the town - they do not engage with us, which is a shame as we could help to promote their business.”

ABC, which is run by an Ashford Independents/Green Party coalition, says it did install more Christmas lights in the street, but had to take them down.

“We had to remove the lighting in the trees in the Lower High Street due to issues that Kent County Council had with these and the impact on the trees,” a spokesman said.

“We are working on a project to provide feature lighting in the trees in this area that will benefit the Lower High Street alongside the Play Train [a new £150,000 play area] in the Upper High Street.

“Once this feature lighting is delivered this will help us to be able to animate this area not just at Christmas, but during other parts of the year.

“We are also taking forward plans for permanent market stall pitches and an expanded market, including pitches in the Lower High Street, which we hope will benefit this area.

“We need to talk up our town centre, and what it has to offer, which is what we try to do.”