One of Kingston’s top environmentalists has expressed his disappointment that none of the town’s empty shops will allow him to fill the spaces with an art installation.

Des Kay, founder member of the Save the World Club, first approached Waterstones in Brook Street six months ago, and has tried almost every empty shop in Kingston since then - with no luck.

His vision is to utilise the vacant spaces with art that is currently sat in his Gibbon Road workshop and, after displaying it for a few weeks, he intends to give it away to anyone who wants it.

But he has been left annoyed by the response, or lack of, from landlords.

Mr Kay said: “They all seem to have the same stock answer, saying ‘we’ve got clients interested’. I just don’t understand it.

“I want to create a whole art installation from lots of stuff that I’ve got clogging up the workshop. I’ve got so much - anything and everything really.”

He said his dream space would be the former Kaatchi site opposite the Hippodrome nightclub, which he said was prominent and under-utilised.

He said: “They haven’t even tidied up in there and I could make it so visually stunning.”

Any shop that is empty for more than three months has to start paying business rates again, so Mr Kay believes it is in their interest to let him display his work.

He proposes to pay the rates for the time he occupies the space, get the council to waiver them or negotiate a reduced charity rate.

Mr Kay said: “It should be straight forward because it supports landlords but they don’t seem to want to help.”

Town centre manager Graham McNally was supportive but said interest in Kingston’s empty shops was on the up.

He said: “I suppose it’s just like your house, and if you don’t want Des Kay in your front room then that’s up to you.”

If you can help, call 07962 231830.

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