- Fremlin Walk
Fremlin Walk is a shopping centre in the town of
Maidstone inKent . it opened in 2005 after several years of development.History
The site was originally a brewery, of Fremlins' Beer, a local drink. However, in the 1970s, the Victorian brewery was closed and the existing building just used as a bottling depot. Later on, the site was downgraded once more to a despatch depot.
To fit in with the scheme of 'new life' for the river area in the town, it was decided that the shipping depot should be demolished, and something new put in its place; a shopping centre.
History Maintained
There are still many reminders of the site's past. For example, the management office buildings bear the original gold elephant
weather vane , an icon of the company. Also, the Fremlins clock was replaced with an identical replica provided by MaidstoneRotary Club . The original brewery entrance has been maintained, and now forms one of the pedestrian entrances.One of the original trademark nodding elephants from the original brewery is on display, fully restored, in Maidstone Museum.
The Shopping Centre Today
Today, the centre has over 50 shops, and these are mainly top high street brands, as well as phone shops, and various chocolate, and herbal remedy shops. There are cafes, and coffee shops, plenty of benches, and is a fairly pleasant area in the town centre to be in.Since its opening in 2005, Maidstone has pushed its way into the top 50 shopping towns in the UK, and now stands at 48th.
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