A town centre park which has become notorious for being a crime hotspot is set to host a series of free concerts next month.

It is hoped music fans will flock to Brenchley Gardens, off Station Road in Maidstone.

Jon Hamilton Big Band, Upcdownc, Spinner, Gypskazz and Pip Bowers, Invicta Jazz Orchestra, Stacey and The Freeloaders, Best Intentions, The Dredgermen, Mikey Price and Jon Fuller, and BAE Systems Brass Band will all perform at the Victorian Bandstand in the gardens.

It is part of efforts by Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) to make it a nicer place to be.

All the concerts will start at 3pm and will run until around 6pm, although exact finishing times may vary.

Several crimes have been committed there in recent years.

On May 30, a police cordon was placed at the park, after a man had to be taken to hospital following an attack.

Only two days later, in broad daylight, a man in his 70s allegedly exposed himself in the park and was arrested, while families watched on.

Cllr David Naghi (East ward) said this year there was no doubt the gardens were an "anti-social hotspot" and that its town-centre position, close to night-time businesses, was one reason for the problems.

But it is hoped these events, organised by Maidstone Area Arts Partnership and Make Some Noise Studio and backed with funding from MBC, will help make the place become a more attractive venue for all to visit.

Chairman of the MBC economic, regeneration and leisure committee, Cllr Martin Round, said: “These concerts are another great example of some of the fantastic events being held in Maidstone this summer.

“Brenchley Gardens and the Victorian bandstand provide the perfect venue and backdrop for these events.

"I hope as many people as possible head down there this September to enjoy the music and atmosphere – I’ll see you there.”

Tonbridge-based Jon Hamilton Big Band, which consists of 17 regular instrumentalists and three vocalists, will play on Sunday, September 5. Their music consists of a huge range of styles.

Upcdownc, Spinner, Gypskazz and Pip Bowers will all take to the stage on Saturday, September 11.

Upcdownc and Spinner both play rock music, Gypskazz are a Gypsy Jazz and Ska band – which combines the sounds of the Balkans with 1930s Paris, the West Indies, and Latin America music – and Pip Bowers is an original acoustic singer-songwriter mixing up pop, indie and alt-folk styles.

The following day will see Invicta Jazz Orchestra – 40 amateur musicians – entertain crowds.

Stacey and The Freeloaders are a four-piece rock group taking influence from classic 70s and 80s rock, psychedelia and blues, and they'll take to the stage on Saturday, September 18, alongside Best Intentions, The Dredgermen and Mikey Price and Jon Fuller.

Best Intentions are a Maidstone three-piece band, The Dredgermen are an acoustic four-piece from Medway taking elements of traditional folk, sea shanties and music hall rhythms, and Mikey Price is a distinctive singer-songwriter and guitarist with edgy and memorable songs that take in elements of folk, post punk and rock.

Rochester-based BAE Systems Brass Band will also perform on Sunday, September 26.

The council has introduced bespoke deckchairs which are free for people to use, too.

They are available from 11am to 3pm, weather-permitting, Thursday to Sunday every week between August 5 and September 19 but will stay out until the end of each concert.

But they must not be removed from the gardens and they are protected by a security company who monitor the service each day.

MBC has recently been allocated funding in the region of £50,000 from the Welcome Back Fund, as part of £56 million provided to councils across England from the European Regional Development Fund to support the safe return to high streets and to overcome the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

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