Maidstone Borough Council is consulting residents on how Lockmeadow — the riverside entertainment, market and community site on Barker Road — could change, with drop-in sessions running through September and October 2026.
Maidstone’s Lockmeadow site, home to the Market Hall, Coronation Square, entertainment venues and a car park beside the River Medway, could look very different in the coming years. The council wants to hear what residents think before any decisions are made — and, after scrutiny committee pressure earlier this year, it’s required to do exactly that.
What the council wants to do
Maidstone Borough Council has outlined ambitions to turn Lockmeadow into a destination offering a wider range of leisure and cultural experiences. That includes reviewing the future of the Market Hall and Coronation Square, improving access to the riverbank, and exploring whether a community-based organisation could take on the market and café. The council says the consultation is a chance for residents to shape those ideas before anything is finalised.
Why some people are worried
Not everyone is convinced. Market traders and some residents have raised concerns that any redevelopment could ultimately push out the existing market — which has run on at least two days a week, including Tuesdays and Saturdays — threatening the livelihoods of stallholders and a long-standing part of Maidstone town life. There are also fears that upgrading the space could favour higher-value leisure uses over the affordable produce and goods the market currently offers, cutting off access for lower-income shoppers and older residents who rely on it. Earlier in 2026, council discussions included the possibility of serving notices to traders as part of a restructure, which added to those anxieties.
The repair café, which operates out of the Market Hall, and other community groups using the space have a stake in this too. Some residents have questioned whether consultation feedback will genuinely change the direction of travel, given how far along some of the internal discussions had already gone.
What scrutiny required
A council scrutiny committee stepped in earlier this year to put the brakes on any rushed decisions. It required that the existing market be allowed to continue at least until final decisions are made, and that a proper public consultation be carried out before anything is agreed. That’s what this process is intended to deliver.
How to take part
The consultation is open to all residents across Maidstone’s borough of around 176,000 people — not just those who live near Barker Road. Views can be submitted online through the council’s consultation platform, and five in-person drop-in sessions give people the chance to speak directly with council officers and see the proposals for themselves.
Key information
- Consultation open: 7 September 2026 to 18 October 2026
- Drop-in sessions at Lockmeadow (Barker Road): 23, 25 and 27 September 2026
- Drop-in sessions at Jubilee Square (Maidstone town centre): 30 September and 1 October 2026
- To respond: visit the Maidstone Borough Council consultation portal online or attend one of the drop-in events in person
Maidstone residents asked to have their say on future of Lockmeadow market and riverside site Quiz
5 questions