Kentish Express Ashford & District
We want to create flagship for the UK
Plans for the expansion were unveiled yesterday (Wednesday) by the centre’s manager David Maddison and Sven Gaede, McArthurGlen’s managing director.
Mr Maddison said: “This is the start of a big future for us and is very exciting. In my eyes, the sooner the builders are on site, the better.
“Phase one [the existing centre] is stunning but we wanted to do something a bit different for the expansion.
“We think phase two complements phase one – it is a modern and contemporary design.
“We’ve gone for a Garden of England theme and a lot of work has gone into the design.
“The extension will increase the footfall of people coming into Ashford, which is good news for everyone. Overall the expansion will be a benefit for the town, especially with creating new job opportunities.”
Mr Maddison said they were negotiating with a lot of key brands and restaurants at the moment to take space in the expanded centre but could not reveal which companies yet.
Sven Gaede, McArthurGlen’s managing director for the UK, said: “Ashford’s expansion gives us the opportunity to revamp the whole shopping experience and to bring in exciting new brands to complement the existing offer.
New experience
“We are looking to create one of the UK’s flagship designer outlets: a new fashion shopping experience for all our shoppers, whether from the local region, the affluent wider South East area, including London, or the tourist shopper – from Continental Europe as well as the longhaul traveller.
“We have many exciting new brands looking to open at Ashford, many of whom are already at our other centres, whether in the UK or in Continental Europe, and the expansion will provide an ideal location for them to do this.”
What do you think? Write to Kentish Express, 34-36 North Street, Ashford, TN24 8JR or email kentishexpress@thekmgroup.co.uk