by Trevor Sturgess

Interest in Kent and Medway as business locations has held up reasonably well despite the recession.

Locate in Kent, the agency that promotes the county for inward investment, admits it has been a difficult year but hopes to be close to its annual jobs and project target by the end of the month.

Sir Brandon Gough, LiK chairman, said that it had been a difficult year. "But nevertheless, there have been some good transactions, rather better than we might have expected," he added.

There has been a satisfactory number of transactions because Kent "has a good story to tell".

"The outside world has bought the idea that Kent does have some significant advantages for inward investment and the great advantage of the high-speed service."

Independent surveys put LiK top of the 'Premier League' of similar agencies, Sir Brandon said. The banks had started lending again and there was more of a "glass half full rather than glass half empty" mood. "For us in Kent it's time to remain true to the story which is an attractive one to investors."

Last year, LiK helped attract nearly 2,900 jobs and safeguard 1,600 that might otherwise have been lost. It achieved a record 76 projects. LiK set similar targets for 2009/2010 despite the economic downturn.

Chief executive Paul Wookey said the agency would be "there or thereabouts" when the full figures are revealed. "If we fall short, it won't be for the want of trying. Some projects will naturally fall into a month or two later."

LiK is funded by public and private sector partners, mainly Kent County Council, but also Medway council, the South East England Development Agency and property developers and construction companies.