Two new shops are set to open in Maidstone’s Fremlin Walk shopping centre.

Womenswear store Quiz will be moving into the unit previously used by Republic on a five-year lease while stationery company Smiggle is setting up in the former EE shop, which it has signed a 10-year contract for.

Quiz previously had a concession in House of Fraser but this will be its first shop in the town.

Smiggle, an Australian firm, is opening a Maidstone store as part of a major roll-out of shops across the UK. It will be its third in Kent.

Smiggle’s managing director John Cheston, said he was excited about the move, adding: “It’s a fantastic destination that is perfectly positioned for a Smiggle store.”

Scott Linard, director of asset management at M&G Real Estate which owns the centre, said: "With some of the most loved brands in the country, the centre is a regional success story with aspirations to further increase both footfall and dwell time.”