IT will be an exciting 10 years for Kidderminster, according to the manager of one of the town's two shopping centres.

Phil Dunn, who has been head of Rowland Hill Shopping Centre for the last five years, said the redevelopment on the former Brintons site and the refurbishment of the Swan Centre were going to make for interesting times and he looked forward to them providing a boost for the rest of the town.

His personal highlights at Rowland Hill Centre, which opened in 1978, include the makeover it received four years ago.

It is the hands-on and self-sufficient role in a small team which he clearly enjoys, being able to turn his hand to negotiating with chain stores considering moving into the centre or the odd bit of plumbing.

''I'm a jack of all trades and master of absolutely none,'' he said, modestly, because he built fire engines for 20 years and he admits he could do all the jobs in the centre if needed ''bar computers!''

Not for Mr Dunn the management buzz words and theory-filled training courses.

Born in Bromsgrove and brought up in Crossway Green, he went to school in Hartlebury and Stourport, and learnt about plumbing from his grandfather.

He remembers walking through the then empty Trimpley reservoir as a child.

And he also clearly likes Kidderminster, where he has lived for 25 years with wife Susan. The couple have three daughters.

''I like the fact that in five or 10 minutes you can be out in the countryside, down by the River Severn,'' he said.

''I particularly like seeing Kidderminster full of people and families, whether it's demonstrating against the changes at the hospital, enjoying the Christmas lights or as they were when we had the French market in town.''

He is a member of the group organising the town's Christmas entertainment, and of Kidderminster Town Centre Forum and Kidderminster Association of Retail Enterprise (KARE).

A mix of ''tenants of national repute and a cross-section of smaller traders'' gives his centre more character.

''It will be very interesting to see how things change over the next 10 or 15 years,'' he said.

And what about the bad press, comedy routines and advertisements which use Kidderminster as the butt of their jokes.

''I always like seeing anything which puts the town on the map and gives us a higher profile, even if it involves things like those comedians,'' he said.