Maidstone is the county town of Kent and resides around 30 miles southeast of London. Maidstone has a population of around 75,000 people and its location provides easy access for those wishing to commute into the capital.
Historically, industry in Maidstone was centred around paper manufacture and brewing. Paper and packing continue to be important within Maidstone, and Aylesford is home to the largest paper recycling factory in Europe, which is used by the newspaper industry.
Today, other key areas of employment within the town of Maidstone can be found in the retail, service and administration sectors, amongst many others including manufacturing and construction. There are also a number of business parks within Maidstone that provide employment opportunities with a number of technology firms that are based in and around Maidstone.
Maidstone has four theatres, three museums and is also a retail centre for Maidstone and its surrounding areas. The town has two main shopping centres and has over one million square feet of retail floor space, which has ensured that it resides in the top five shopping centres situated within the south east of England.
Maidstone maintains excellent transport links with the rest of the UK, and is a short commute to London for those wishing to gain employment outside of Maidstone. Major roads include the M20, A20 and the M2 motorway is also within easy reach. Maidstone also has a wide network of buses for convenient travel via public transport.