A businesswoman has launched a bid to change the face of her high street and bring back its “bustling” market culture.

Tanvi Paul, who owns Gorj Beauty Salon and Pineapple Hair Studio in Strood, has set up a petition to transform two empty units in the High Street into an indoor marketplace.

The new facilities could house a fresh bakery, butchers, deli, shoe merchants, vintage items, fish mongers, local arts and crafts, pop-up exhibits for young and new talent, as well as public toilets and an outdoor social area.

Tanvi took inspiration from Gravesend's Borough Market and the Goods Shed of Canterbury and hopes to develop something similar in the Medway Towns.

It would occupy the currently empty units at 77-81 High Street, located between Iceland and Boots.

The salon owner says the current building is often referred to as the 'Pigeon Hotel' due to the conditions it has weathered over years of neglect.

A community officer would also patrol the town to “create a sense of safety and reduce the levels of alcohol and drug use in town during the day”.

The 32-year-old came up with the idea last year and had been working on a website until last week when she set the petition live.

“I had the idea because I own two salons in the High Street and over the years I’ve noticed that there’s no money really coming into this town,” she said.

“We’ve got a rooftop bar coming to Chatham, funding going into Rainham and Rochester is always lovely, but Strood I feel it’s a bit neglected, and it’s not good for the locals.”

Tanvi explained the strategic reason for occupying those empty units as the building has three entrances, one of them being at the back.

It would mean that people from the retail park will be able to cut through and it just allows more footfall into the main high street where there are mostly independent businesses.

She said: “We really need something that's gonna bring people into the centre of the town and just bring the marketplace back.

“I’ve been living in Strood since I was six and the market used to be a huge deal. We would get up on a Sunday and go to the boot fair.

“We would go on Saturdays and Tuesdays to the market and it was bustling. And then the council decided to stop the market trade in our town and they never bought it back.

Today (May 18), Tanvi will try and get more signatures and promote the idea at the Reimagining Medway’s town centres event, held at the Corn Exchange in Rochester.

As of Monday, May 15, it had 274 signatures. To find out more and sign the petition, click here.

“I just really hope that the council can do something with that building because Strood could be so much better and there are just so many things I see that are missed opportunities,” she said.