THAT’S YOUR LOT
Charity parking deal terminated
As supporters roared The Stones through their first match of the season at the weekend, a charity car park run by Maidstone Lions remained empty.
The club has been offering about 100 spaces at the lot at County Gate, off Staceys Street, ever since Maidstone United opened its new James Whatman Way ground five years ago.
The Lions didn’t set a fixed rate, but most people would give £3. This added up to about £6,000 a year for groups and charities.
But agents acting for the owners of the land have broken off the arrangement. A spokesman for agents Matthews and Goodman said: “This was an amicable split, and it is something that could be reviewed in the future.
“The problem is it’s not in the tenants’ contracts to allow other groups to use the parking spaces, and there is a clause in one tenant’s contract saying the car park must be available to them at all times.
“We’re also trying to find new tenants for County Gate 1, the former Job Centre, and want to keep the car park free for this reason.
Malcolm Luxton, fundraising chairman for the Lions, said: “The decision is clearly out of our hands.”
In addition to the new car park on Sandling Road, Stones fans can park at Invicta House on Lower Boxley Road, Sandling Road, Maidstone East railway station, or Fremlin Walk, about 2,000 spaces in total. They cannot park at The Gallagher Stadium unless they have a reserved pass.