Ideas to spruce up a section of the Deal promenade, after the sea defence works are finished, are being backed by the community.

Deal and Walmer Chamber of Trade is giving the project moral support to the Shared Space project, which is being master-minded by town councillors Ian Killbery and Bob Frost.

Chamber spokesman Andy Stevens said: "It is a truly exciting proposal which we hope will gain some real impetus.

"It is inspirational to rethink the use of the space between Deal Pier and the Royal Hotel - think ‘phase two’ of the successful Beach Street piazza outside the King’s Head, Port Arms and Dunkerley’s.

"Except this time as a shared space that people and traffic can use, offering a real opportunity for al fresco cafe culture on that part of the seafront."

Cllr Killbery said the beach defence work this summer prompted the Shared Space idea and it is backed by the Dover District Cycle Forum as the area is part of the Sustrans bicycle route through Deal.

Fellow campaigner Cllr Frost said: "I have been really pleased with the amount of support from people from all sections of the Deal community for our proposals.

"They will provide adequate comfort space and seating of benefit to all while reducing the impact of motor vehicles, making the environment attractive to pedestrians and cyclists by cutting vehicle speeds due to the inherent ambiguity in the design allied with visual narrowing."

* For full details see the East Kent Mercury, May 17.