An upmarket men’s clothing store in Chatham town centre is on the move after 26 years.

Red Menswear has closed its Military Road shop as it relocates to Rochester High Street this month.

The independent retailer is set to take over the former Midland bank, which then became HSBC and was most recently occupied by Platoon Stores, a military equipment and clothing specialist.

Since launching in 1999, Red Menswear has become a staple for premium men’s clothing, footwear and accessories, stocking top brands such as Hackett, Gant and Michael Kors.

The retailer also offers a tailoring service for formal work wear and wedding suits.

Over the years business partners Ben Hunt and Martin Johnson have grown their venture into what is believed to be the South East’s “largest independent menswear fashion store”.

Now the retailing duo are looking forward to a major new chapter in their move to Rochester.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Chatham community over the past 26 years,” said Martin Johnson, managing director at Red Menswear.

As the lease on their current location in Military Road was due to expire, Ben and Martin starting looking into relocation options.

In a bid to find a new premises, they secured the historic bank building at 70 High Street, Rochester.

Martin said: “It has been an honour to serve our customers and be a part of the fabric of this town.

“However, we believe that this move to Rochester will allow us to better serve our customers and continue to provide them with the high-quality menswear they have come to expect from Red Menswear.”

The last day of trading from their current Chatham store was on Saturday, 29 March.

Work to prepare the new store in Rochester High Street is well underway, and is scheduled to open in April.

An exact opening date is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.