Café society comes to Tenterden

Went to Tenterden today to look for a present for a friend. It's been a while since I went there, and what a surprise I got.

It seems to have become the same as every other small shopping centre - all the usual large-chain coffee shops and clothes shops; the little gents barbershop closed down, the 'antique' shops increasingly selling not-really-antiques.

It seems to me a pity that the individuality of Kent's village shopping centres is being sold out - whether due to high rents or council business rates I don't know, but all the same, it's a real shame. What do you think?