A shopping centre in a town beset by vacancies and falling footfall is turning its fortunes around, it is claimed.

After Maidstone saw one of its malls close and big names disappear from its high street, its future as a retail paradise were brought into question.

One business expert said the council had “destroyed” its town centre by allowing planning permission for Eclipse Park, now home to Next and M&S, just off the M20.

Meanwhile, The Broadway Shopping Centre near the one-way system became empty in September 2022 after Lidl and Matalan pulled out of their units.

And dozens of stores have fled the Royal Star Arcade and The Mall.

But Richy Williams, who runs Pad Thai and The Beach Bar restaurant in the Royal Star Arcade, says things are now starting to look more positive, with business booming and new shops on the horizon.

Last month, a cafe, Koffee and Buns opened in the centre after its parent firm, Easydine, found success selling street food at nearby Lockmeadow’s food hall.

Mr Williams said: “My feelings are that the shopping centre is turning itself around, things are starting to reopen.

“The cafe which closed a couple of years ago has returned and an aesthetics store is on the cards to open.

“Things are positive really, genuinely. We’re looking forward to the summer - it’s warmer and that’s when things pick up.

“Losing the cafe was a big thing and it took a bit longer than we all wanted to reopen. I’m happy it’s there now.

“Pad Thai Live is going from strength to strength, I’m really happy with that as it’s only been open a year. For the restaurant, it’s been one of our best years in Maidstone, but maybe that’s to do with the bar.”

Mr Williams said footfall generally slows down around winter time, but he’s not too concerned, despite the town having a lot of competition for food places.

“Spring and summer is when it would peak,” he explained. “Everyone wants to see the vacant units refilled and it’s positive to see some of them open.

“The Skull Bar is expanding into the neighbouring unit and there’s definitely some positive stories in the sense that progress is being made.

“Maidstone Health Food was a large one which has still closed, as well as a custom jewellery store and Cheran’s bakery.

“There’s around six empty units.”

There’s also good news for The Mall, which is seeing one of its biggest empty units, vacated by Wilko, replaced with a B&M next month.

Lib Dem councillor Richard Conyard, who worked on a document outlining his party’s vision for the future of the town, released earlier this year, says he hopes retailers are right in their positivity but thinks the council can help by making a visit to the town more enjoyable.

“I hope it’s turning a corner,” he said. “There are falling footfall numbers throughout the UK’s high streets.

“Figures have shown that in the past year numbers in the town are well under what the council wanted.

“There’s various reasons for that – from the economy struggles, to changes in government and mortgage rates going up, as well as the cost of living. Then there’s the battle with online shopping.

Speaking about the decline of the High Street, Cllr Conyard said it was too premature to say it was dead but that, in the past few years, it had been “a tale of woe”.

He added: “Hopefully more shops will be opening and that will lead to a greater footfall but the council has to help make it the right environment. Empty units are slowly being refilled but we need to be trying to make being in Maidstone an enjoyable experience. Retail has to be mixed with leisure as one thing now, rather than separate.

“We run the risk of the town becoming a dormitory of new housing and nobody wants that.”

Earlier this year, the Liberal Democrats outlined what their town centre would look like if they got into power.

The proposal included re-routing the A229, tackling litter and basic repairs, adding more trees and plants, building a new transport hub, creating extra parking, a business and educational campus, replacing The Mall shopping centre with more historic-looking buildings, and easier access to the drive-thru McDonald’s, among other ideas.

The Tory administration at Maidstone council has been working on a new Town Centre Strategy for much of the past year, but it's not known when it will be published.

Fed up with delays and deferments, the opposition Lib Dem group published a draft Town Centre Strategy of its own. The object is to set out the group’s ambition for how the town should evolve up to 2050.