Additional reporting by Isabel Fosbery

A business owner who spent £300,000 renovating his town centre shop is calling for compensation after being ordered to leave.

Matthew Abercrombie says he used his life savings to open Vapeology in Park Mall shopping centre, Ashford.

But site owner Ashford Borough Council (ABC) says the whole mall will be demolished early next year to make way for a car park - and has given all traders six months to leave.

Mr Abercrombie, 45, took out a 10-year lease when he filled an empty unit previously occupied by a printing shop in 2019.

But he says he is now “scared” for the future of his vape business after ABC told traders to exit the site by August 31.

"I have never missed a payment on rent and service charges while also employing four members of staff, and this is how I get treated after serving the county so well and having so many customers come to visit us,” Mr Abercrombie said.

"I'm very disappointed, frustrated and scared as to how my colleagues and I are going to pay for our families.

"I've built this business up for a decade from nothing, having completely gutted the shop to the bare bones using my life savings.

"I have done it all with the intention of recuperating that money over 10 years - not five-and-a-half years.

"We should be given the opportunity to buy our shops because if I can't find a solution to this then I may have to fold my company."

ABC, which is run by an Ashford Independents/Green Party coalition, says Park Mall has been “in a state of spiralling decline for several years and is operating at a significant loss”.

It will knock down the neighbouring Edinburgh Road multi-storey car park as part of the project, and plans to build homes across both sites in later years.

But Mr Abercrombie, who has lived in Ashford for more than 25 years, says the council should review its decision.

The authority says traders can apply for a grant of up to £10,000, which they will receive once they have invested the same amount after bringing an empty town centre unit back into use.

Mr Abercrombie insists this scheme, known as the empty premises grant, is neither supporting or encouraging businesses to thrive in the town centre.

"There aren't enough stores in the town as it is and so the money of £10,000 isn't enough,” he said.

"I don't think it's outrageous or unreasonable that every shop owner gets a minimum of £50,000 and a year’s notice.

"To replace Park Mall with a car park is disgusting, especially as there's going to be no shops.

"The government and council wants more houses and more redevelopment and that is something Labour has made clear in Kent.

"We've been told there's about four or five properties which are available in the town, but they're all stupidly priced at like £2,000 to £3,000, so it's just a mockery.

"If it's not being knocked down until next year then I don't understand why we're being kicked out by August either.”

The empty premises grant is being funded by Section 106 contributions - payments made by developers to the council as part of planning permission.

A spokesman for ABC said: "Tenants will be offered the chance to apply for grants of up to £10,000, which businesses might want to apply for to spend on renovating empty premises.

"We previously ran a scheme like this before [and] more details will follow and be shared with Park Mall tenants.

"We can’t go into specific or individual discussions, but we have announced the next steps for Park Mall and notices will be issued to tenants in line with the individual leases that are in place."

However, The Record Store's Vince Monticelli agrees with Mr Abercrombie that the grant does not offer enough support.

The 66-year-old, whose business would have celebrated its 10th anniversary at Park Mall in September, said: "The grant is a max grant, so you have to spend £10,000 in order to get £10,000.

"So if you're a really small business and have £500 in the bank then that's all you're going to get if that happens.

"If there were concern for the businesses then I think something more than this grant would be on offer for us.

"So it's been made as difficult as possible but we're trying our best to stay in Ashford, which deserves its record store."

This week, KentOnline spoke to several residents who feel a significant chunk of Ashford town centre will be lost once Park Mall is flattened.

One, Sean Miles, said: "ABC is not investing in the centre and isn’t catering to the people who actually live in Ashford.

"There isn’t much for families to do and there aren’t many affordable shops that cater for children.

"The high street is dominated by nail salons and hairdressers, which are creating unnecessary competitive business.

“Ashford doesn’t feel safe - it feels as if it is falling to bits and the council isn’t listening to the people. It's appalling."

Andrew Pardy added: "It will be very sad.

"It will make the cost-of-living crisis much worse as many of the shops that are losing their location are great cost-savers.

"So many shops are relocating to outside of the town - all development is happening outside Ashford and the centre feels neglected."

Meanwhile, Effie Devenish says the decision will diminish the borough’s history.

She said: "As a 90-year-old, who has lived in Ashford for the best part of 60 years, I just see the planned future as a lowering of what was once a well-respected and loved country town.

"How glad I am that I have known it in its better days."

Last week, ABC said its “residential-led, mixed-use development will serve as a catalyst for the regeneration of the town centre”.

It claims it will “transform the area into a desirable, vibrant destination”.

The centre is currently home to about 20 stores, many of which are independently run.