HIGH street traders in Maidstone have been promised a blank piece of paper on which to map the future of the county town. Consultation is underway on a new town centre strategy to boost Maidstone's success as a thriving business hub.

Maidstone council used a special local plan briefing at the town hall on Wednesday night to gauge initial reaction.

Senior planning officer Jill Rae said: "We have to decide what we have got, where we are going and what we need to do to get to where we want to be."

The 35 people, who accepted invitations to the event were split into workshops and asked to consider the pros and cons of various aspects of town life. Complete traffic bans in shopping areas to café quarters and more independent shops were among the ideas suggested.

Fremlin Walk scored the highest plus points for potential with traffic problems, pigeons and a clear town identity at the other end of the scale.

Parking charges, the booming night time economy and links between the town's historic treasures were other key areas of concern.

Further consultation is expected to take place in the coming months before Maidstone's cabinet makes a final decision.