A wellness centre offering yoga, dance and fitness classes is set to open in Ashford town centre.

Ashford DOJO is planning to fill an empty unit at the £75m Elwick Place leisure complex, taking a spot underneath the Travelodge hotel.

Founder Lucas Allen says he hopes the centre will act as a way of helping people combat physical, mental and emotional hardships.

"This will be supplemented with regular events and workshops with a focus on health and wellbeing for the community," he said.

"We were due to start sooner, however the pandemic has presented us with many challenges, we hope to get approval for our submitted plans and complete the project as soon as possible."

Originally the unit was designed for food and beverage use but bosses say change of use plans submitted to Ashford Borough Council are likely to be granted as the facility will complement existing leisure sites nearby.

It will create eight new jobs and host five 60-minute classes per day ranging from yoga, including Vinyasa and Ashtanga yoga, free running and contemporary dance.

Health and wellbeing, alternative therapies, and visual art events and workshops will also take place throughout the week.

Mr Allen says the classes will cater for all ages and abilities from beginners to advanced practitioners so everyone has the chance to improve their health and wellbeing.

Each class will have space for 10 people so social distancing guidelines can be followed.

He also hopes to operate a volunteer barter system for those most in need by offering free classes in exchange for contributions to local community projects.

The unit is next to former restaurant The Gastronomist Club which closed in September after just four months.

Bosses at the fine-dining restaurant which promised "bold" six-course tasting menus based around Kentish produce, said the impact of the pandemic proved "an impossible challenge" to overcome.

It also neighbours the Dansaki unit which is set to become an Afro-Caribbean restaurant with a tapas lounge and bar.