Maidstone, the county town of Kent, has been a settlement as far back as the Stone Age. Rated highly for its shopping centres, retail accounts for around 19% of employment in the local area. Around £400 million has been invested into the town in recent years and a variety of businesses operate within both the city centre and surrounding business parks. Fremlin Walk, a £100m shopping centre, opened in 2005 and is home to over 50 different outlets.