An empty bank in Strood High Street is set for a new lease of life as an estate agent's office. Wards, which already has a branch in the town, is relocating across the road to the former Barclays. Although an exact opening date is yet to be confirmed, the new branch is expected to open in early June, according to a spokesperson. A planning application to install new external signage was given the go-ahead by Medway Council last month.
Strood's Barclays branch closed in May last year due to the declining number of counter transactions made. The decision has left customers with only one branch serving the whole of Medway, which is in Chatham High Street. In a further blow to Strood since Halifax's closure in 2019, HSBC plans to shut its town centre branch on 15 September this year. Work is well underway to create a new Costa Coffee at Chatham Maritime. The coffee chain is moving into the former Friendly Phil's restaurant opposite the Dockside Outlet Centre, which closed last year after its parent company fell into administration. Goldex Investments, the UK's largest Costa Coffee franchisee, is hoping to open the new branch this month. Around 8 new jobs will be created, including both part-time and full-time roles.
Chatham Maritime is already home to a Costa inside the Odeon cinema, although this is run by a different operator. A Kaspa's Desserts parlour is also set to move in next to the new Costa, following KFC's recent opening of its new branch at Chatham Maritime in January this year. Casual clothing company Lazy Jacks has opened its first branch in Kent at Chatham's Dockside Outlet Centre, creating four new jobs. The family-owned retailer opened its new outlet on Saturday, 7 May, taking over the former Cadbury store which permanently closed in September last year. It specialises in bright, fresh coloured clothing with a 'nautical' style inspired by the Devon coast, offering collections of menswear, womenswear and children's wear. Established in 2002 by husband and wife Gayle and John Robinson from the basement of their flat in Devon, the Lazy Jacks range is now supplied to over 400 independent shops throughout the UK and a handful of stores in Europe. The company has more than 100 styles, which are all pre-washed to minimise any shrinkage. Speaking ahead of the new store opening in Chatham, co-owner John Robinson said: "This will be our first stand alone store in the South East and Kent, it’s an area we have always felt our brand will sit well in and we look forward to welcoming some new customers very soon." |
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August 2023
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