Stab-proof vests have been handed to cleaners at a shopping centre as part of their everyday uniform to help keep them safe.

Bosses at County Square in Ashford have equipped “the entire front-of-house team” after a trial of the body armour last year was “well received”.

A spokesman for the precinct says stab vests are becoming commonplace in shopping centres, with many people telling KentOnline they support the move.

A County Square spokeswoman said: “Our officers have been wearing the vests since last summer.

“As they were well received, we rolled them out to the entire front-of-house team as part of their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

“PPE of this nature is becoming standard issue in the shopping centre industry.

“We are a responsible employer and continue to observe and make changes to our daily operations to ensure our teams are safe and feel safe in their duties.”

Last year County Square began closing its doors earlier in a bid to protect staff after some were “physically assaulted”.

Shoppers visiting the centre this week told KentOnline they support any measure that helps keep staff safe.

Derek Warner, of Sandyhurst Lane, said of the stab vests: “I think it's good they are looking after staff.

“I don't know how bad crime is here, but if one can take a precaution then it is good.

“I don't come here often but I do feel safe shopping here. I think it is just part of life now.”

Mick Trumper, 62, from Singleton, said: “Security is pretty good here; they seem to nip things in the bud.

“I've heard them talking on their radios to each other.

“It is a good precaution - I didn't even know they were wearing them.”

Marion Trumper, 68, agreed, saying: “With the way things are going these days, it is safer to wear them.

“You do hear of things happening on Facebook about kids hanging around. It doesn't make you want to come into town, but we have never seen anything like that and we come up here most days.”

Tracey and Albert Smith, who regularly visit Ashford from Essex, say keeping staff safe is all that matters.

“It doesn't matter if it is Ashford or Chelmsford or anywhere, things are going to happen sadly,” Mrs Smith said.

“I think we will start seeing people wear them in other places because, if nothing more, it could be a deterrent.

“Whenever we visit we always come here and we have always felt safe.

“They have got to have something to protect staff but hopefully they are never needed.”

In 2020, armed police were called to County Square to reports a group said to be carrying knives were causing a disturbance. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

Oli Nonis runs various security services through his Canterbury-based firm Akon Security, and says there has been an unprecedented rise in assaults on retail workers nationally over recent years.

With this in mind, he says staff wearing the protective uniform could become a more common sight.

Mr Nonis said: “Everyone should feel safe at work and if they feel there is a need for them then that is great.

“Nationally there is a massive increase in assaults on retail workers, and hospital staff and it is totally unacceptable.

“There needs to be more attention on the subject to bring better intervention from authorities.

“I think we will start to see more of this, but it all depends on the company and their needs.

“A worry is how they will impact the public perception of the use of it.

“I used to get people questioning why a venue in Canterbury needed a doorman when it was a lovely venue, but it's not because there was trouble, it’s something that in the world we live in is sadly becoming a requirement.

“It could become the new norm as a potential way to keep staff safe.”

The protective uniform comes with a hefty price tag, with Mr Nonis explaining a British standard-approved vest could cost anywhere between £300 and £600.

He added: “There are lots of different types of vests but for an approved one that you can trust, the costs are high.

“But you can't put a price on staff safety.”

Woodchurch resident and former Ashford town centre manager Rob Woods has praised County Square for the move.

“We have seen a large increase in theft and violent crime against retail staff,” he explained.

“It is a huge concern and as a resident, I think it has been getting worse over the years.

“I applaud County Square and the management team…”

“I applaud County Square and the management team for doing this to protect their staff.

“It is disappointing we have to go to those lengths to protect people but it is a growing trend.

“In the days when there were more shops and more people, there wasn't the feeling of lawlessness that you get today.

“You always think the grass is greener elsewhere but it rarely is. I don't think Ashford is worse than anywhere else.”

It is unclear if any other Kent shopping centres have issued stab vests to their staff.

The Royal Victoria shopping centre in Tunbridge Wells, Fremlin Walk in Maidstone, The Priory in Dartford and Bluewater all say their staff do not wear the vests.

Last month, KentOnline revealed how County Square's closure-hit extension could be turned into 200 homes

The centre’s owners have put the site forward in a planning process led by Ashford Borough Council to identify suitable building plots.

It is unclear exactly what the scheme will involve, but Q+A Planning Ltd, which has put together the plan on behalf of the site’s owners, says it is “being promoted for a mixed-use development” that would take three years to complete.