by business editor Trevor Sturgess

Inward investment agency Locate in Kent secured 2,500 jobs for the county last year but now faces its biggest challenge yet - persuading firms to set up on Discovery Park, the new name for the doomed Pfizer site at Sandwich.

The agency, which has to operate within a smaller budget this year, was hailed at a reception at the London Golf Club last night for its part in reducing unemployment.

It wooed 73 companies to relocate, set up or expand. Against a background of challenging economic conditions, 2,588 new, retained and indirect jobs were secured.

LiK attracted 13 overseas companies, including five from the United States and two each from France and Germany.

Sir Brandon Gough, chairman, said the agency hoped to attract more "because they tend to be bigger, use more jobs and grow more".

But it was not easy because there was huge competition for international investment.

This week, property consultants CBRE launched a marketing campaign to promote the huge Sandwich site being vacated by Pfizer next year, with the potential loss of up to 5,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Discovery Park aims to attract scores of science and research-based enterprises over the next few years.

Sir Brandon added: "This will be a huge challenge but also an opportunity and that will keep us going for a great many years."

Kent County Council leader Paul Carter, chairman of the taskforce hammering out proposals for the site, met science minister David Willetts yesterday.

Cllr Carter said there was a real appetite to support the campaign "to make things happen".

Backing for an enterprise zone and a Manston Parkway Station would help, he said.

He was cautiously optimistic that the new marketing campaign would deliver "big and medium sized fish" but it would probably take up to 10 years for all the jobs lost by Pfizer's departure to return.

He appealed to Pfizer to do its part.

"The Government is very keen to help but it's important that Pfizer help us as well."