A mayor is pleading with business owners in her town to keep their premises clean and tidy in a bid to boost the economy and tourism.

Raushan Ara, the Mayor of Ramsgate, issued the call in a letter sent around to traders across the town.

She is asking for businesses to ensure they spend time to keep the streets outside shops, cafes and restaurants looking clean.

With the summer holidays kicking off this week, the town's Ramsgate Week and Festival of Sound and Kent basking in a heatwave, visitor numbers are set to increase.

But Cllr Ara, who is a business owner herself and runs the Ramsgate Tandoori restaurant in the town centre, says she hopes to encourage visitors to return.

"These visitors are important to our local economy and not only do we want them to come and visit once," she said. "We want them to come back and of course to tell their friends and family what a wonderful place Ramsgate is.

"The one thing we all remember when visiting a place is how clean and tidy the place was, unfortunately sometimes this cannot be said for Ramsgate.

"I know how hard it can be to keep the area in front of your business nice and clean and I know how busy we all are and sometimes we just don't seem to have enough time.

"But please try to spare a little time each morning and afternoon to clean up the area in front of your business. A little bit of effort goes a long way.

"Lets show all the visitors and locals how much pride we take in our town."

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