Entertainment and live music has returned to Dartford town centre for the summer.

‘Making Memories’ will deliver acts from Covent Garden, London, and include a diverse line-up, incuding Asian and African fusion music.

The programme by Cohesion Plus and Dartford Borough Council will run every Saturday in Dartford High Street, by the market.

Creative director of Cohesion Plus, Gurvinder Sandher MBE, said: “We sprinkle the London acts with some of the local ones, so it’s an opportunity for us as well to showcase local performers, and where there is an opportunity to, showcase diverse acts.

“It’s about supporting the local artistic community.”

Passers by will be able to enjoy the performances from 10am every Saturday, starting this weekend and through to the end of July

Gurvinder said: “The idea is that when people come into Dartford, obviously they’ll go shopping, have a coffee, visit the market, but then we’ve got this entertainment going on as well.

“When we’ve not been there, people say ‘oh when’s the entertainment going to come back?’ but it’s also about trying to create that positive vibe in the town centre.

“Rather than, in essence, people driving up to London to see these high quality acts, they’re on their doorstep here.

“Making Memories was an idea from Dartford Borough Council. They contacted us last year and said to me ‘ Are you interested in organising some entertainment on a Saturday?’”

Leader of Dartford Council, Jeremy Kite said: “Dartford town centre has some fantastic shops and market traders, last year we wanted to encourage people back to the High Street as life got back to normal following the pandemic.”

The idea was first launched in the spring of last year for a six week pilot, but following its success, ran through until October.

Jeremy said: “We had lots of great feedback during last year’s entertainment and we want to keep that buzz around the town. We’re proud to be working with Cohesion Plus to provide such great activity, ahead of a busy summer of events.”

Following last year’s success, Dartford Borough Council recommisioned Cohesion Plus to bring the programme back this Summer.

Gurvinder said: “The message that we’re trying to get out is how arts and culture can have a positive impact on town centres.

“On the back of that contract that we’ve got with Dartford, in June, we’re starting something similar in Crawley and that has come out directly as a result of what we have done in Dartford.”

Cohesion Plus will replicate the success of Dartford’s Making Memories programme in Crawley this Summer for seven weekends, starting from Saturday June 17.