Business guru Bob Jones believes later shop opening hours could provide a boost to Canterbury’s city centre retail economy.

The chairman of the City Centre Partnership is proposing a switch to 10am to 7pm , which he told Canterbury councillors would be of huge to benefit the area.

Speaking to members of the council’s Canterbury Area Member Panel on Monday night, he said: "It’s not that long ago that we were on half-day closing one day of the week and with shops completely closed on Sundays," he told "These things do change and we wish to encourage an evening economy.

"The aim is to link up with the city’s night-time economy, which is also being so well served now by the Marlowe Theatre."

Mr Jones had been invited to the council meeting to outline and update the partnership’s work.

The City Centre Partnership is a town centre management company which is part funded by businesses and part by the council. It aims to support businesses in Canterbury and to promote the city centre as a whole.

Cllr Alex Perkins wondered if there was room for even later opening shop hours in Canterbury.

He asked: "Is there scope to actually go to 9pm or 10pm in the summer months? It would be a fantastic use of the streets at that time."

Mr Jones also told councillors that he had and the partnership have a vision of entering the city in the 2012 South East in Bloom competition and winning it by 2014.

And he wants to see the annual Eurofair festival in the Dane John Gardens rebranded the Canterbury Food and Drink Festival and to eventually see Canterbury with its own Michelin-starred restaurant.

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