A town has received a treble boost with new shops set to move into long-vacant units.

Tenterden bosses say the "right types of shop" are coming into the town as they prepare to welcome the new arrivals.

The former Laura Ashley store, next to Bond Street to Your Street in the high street, is set to finally be filled two years after it closed, while a cafe has moved into Sayers Lane.

Haberdashery company Hop, Stitch and Jumper is moving into the empty store next month.

It comes two years to the month since Laura Ashley went the same way as its branches in Canterbury, Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, Broadstairs, Bromley, Orpington and Sevenoaks and closed its doors.

The shop is run by the Symbol Trust, a charity that helps people with learning disabilities gain employment by giving them work experience, paid employment and training for qualifications.

Symbol will also be opening a second, separate shop on the Sayers Lane side of the unit, which will be called Celestine.

Celestine will sell products to care for the mind, body and spirit including crystals, oils and books. There will also be treatment rooms and workshop spaces.

Just down Sayers Lane, Mr Bean Coffee House has been replaced by Coffee Pad Ltd, just a few months after the former closed.

A further boost has arrived in the form of a £3 million refurbishment of the town's Waitrose, which has been completed and was officially opened by the town's mayor John Crawford this month.

As well as a new layout, the refurb has added a sushi bar and a dried meats counter.

Keli Nolan-Lyons, Tenterden's business and tourism co-ordinator, hailed the new shops as "amazing news" for the town.

"We have been waiting for years for the right unit to move into [Laura Ashley]," she said.

"It is not for the council to decide or influence what goes into these units but we are absolutely over the moon with the concept.

"There have already been a lot of customers in the Coffee Pad, which is great to see."

Robert Martine, director of Martine Waghorn which marketed the unit, said he had received a lot of interest from many different parties when marketing the shop, including inquiries from national retail chains – but felt the need to "make the right decision".

“Tenterden has such a special High Street and a rich and diverse range of independent businesses, it would have been irresponsible to not consider this when looking at potential tenants," he explained.

"Being in such a prominent position, we wanted to ensure that the shop enhances the current high street and didn’t just bring another chain to the town.”

Mrs Nolan-Lyons welcomed the decision, saying: "Slowly but surely, the right types of shop are going to the right places.

"Vacancies are going down, and the number of independent businesses is going up.

"We are really glad that landlords are considering their options carefully – it's all looking good!"