by business editor Trevor Sturgess

tsturgess@thekmgroup.co.uk

An ex-Gurkha soldier hopes to create up to 500 cleaning jobs in Kent.

Yogen Chhetri set up YBC Cleaning in Aldershot where it did so well that it now employs more than 400 people in offices, factories, schools and colleges.

He has just opened his first regional office - in Maidstone - and is confident he can win enough commercial contracts to help him employ similar numbers to serve the county and other parts of the south east. "I'd love to see 400-500 in Maidstone serving Kent and maybe other counties," he said.

Mr Chhetri, who was based in Folkestone during his military career and served in the Gulf War, said at the opening ceremony in Kent House that he had turned to cleaning after leaving the regiment.

Before he set up his own firm, he worked for others. "I didn't like the way they ran the business," he said. "I wanted to change to the way it should be." That meant treating customers and staff well.

He chose Maidstone because it was home to the Gurkhas and his friends. "I always wanted to be in Maidstone. It's not far from London and other big towns."

The Mayor of Maidstone Cllr Brian Mortimer opened the new office. He told Mr Chettri: "If you clean as well as you defended our country over the years, then you have a very good business."