MAIDSTONE'S new town centre manager has spoken about the "phenomenal" opportunities facing the County Town.

Bill Moss said he was looking forward to reinforcing Maidstone's position as Kent's County Town.

Mr Moss, 52, who lives at Allington, near Maidstone, will replace former town centre manager David Spink later this summer. Mr Spink left at the end of May to take up a new post in Peterborough.

Mr Moss, who is married with two children, said: "It's a fantastic challenge to be part of Maidstone's immediate future. With the Fremlin site coming on stream and the St Peter Street development taking place, the opportunities for Maidstone businesses are phenomenal."

Mr Moss is no stranger to Maidstone. He is taking on his new role after a long and successful career with the Kent Messenger Group as newspaper sales manager.

Before joining the KM, Mr Moss worked for the John Lewis partnership in London, House of Fraser, and was assistant general manager at Army and Navy in Maidstone and Bromley. He also had a long-standing involvement with Maidstone Chamber of Commerce and was its president in 1984.

Mr Moss said his first task would be to dispel public perceptions that Maidstone was a no-go area for people over a certain age on Friday and Saturday nights and had a parking problem. He added: "When Fremlins and St Peter Street come online Maidstone will, without doubt, be the focal point of Kent.

"Maidstone has had less inward investment than other towns like Tunbridge Wells, Canterbury and Bromley and was in danger of being left behind. Our new developments will help put Maidstone back on the map as the County Town of Kent."

Mr Moss paid tribute to his predecessor. He said: "Maidstone owes a huge debt of gratitude to David for moving the town forward. My intention is to build on that and enhance it further."

Paul Alcock, chairman of the Town Centre Management Initiative's board of directors, said: "We are absolutely delighted that we have got someone with the enthusiasm that Bill's got, the knowledge that he's got of the town and the get up and go he's got.

"We were concerned about David being a hard act to follow but we are convinced we have now got the right act to follow him."