CELEBRITY cricket team Lashings is on the verge of signing a deal to quit Maidstone and move to Essex.

Lashings boss David Folb, fed up with what he sees as a lack of support from the county town, has threatened for a while to up sticks.

Now he is close to moving Lashings Cricket Club’s headquarters to an undisclosed town in Essex, according to committee member Andrew Fitzholland.

“It is right to say that there have been active negotiations ... to facilitate the team moving their notional base out of Kent to Essex,” he said.

Mr Folb was travelling in Asia this week and could not be contacted, but Mr Fitzholland confirmed that negotiations were close to completion.

Mr Fitzholland, who lives on the Essex/Suffolk border, said Lashings had been well supported at their fixtures in East Anglia this summer.

Lashings had been negotiating on issues including player contracts, sponsorship and accommodation for players.

Mr Folb has recently regained complete control of Lashings Cricket Club from businessman Gary Pankhurst.

He has sold his interest in the Lashings pub and restaurant in central Maidstone.

The Lashings team of cricketing celebrities plays most of its matches outside Kent, where Mr Folb says matches are supported by thousands.

At home in Maidstone, matches have been poorly supported.

Mr Folb has complained that he has not received enough support from local authorities and the media.

Last year he threatened to move Lashings out of Kent.