Amenities

Compared with many villages with a similar population size, Marden is still rich in amenities (though not as rich as it once was: many residences in the village centre were once shops, and the majority of the former public houses are no more). In the outlying areas of the parish, by contrast, amenities are sparse.

Village Centre

Religious	St Michael & All Angels Church (Anglican), Marden Congregational Church
Medical	Medical centre, dental surgery, veterinary surgery
Meeting Halls	Memorial Hall, Vestry Hall
Learning	Primary School, pre-school playgroup and public library
Restaurants	Marden Tandoori, The Royal (Indian cuisine)
Public Houses	The Unicorn, The West End Tavern and The Lady Jane (currently closed)
Club Buildings	Club Buildings – Working Men’s Club, Cricket and Hockey Club, Bowls Club, Scout HQ
Take-Aways	Hong Kong Kitchen (Chinese take-away), Barney’s (fish-and-chip shop)
Grocers	Crowhurst & Tompsett, Alldays, West End Stores
Other Shops	Marden Pharmacy, Munchies Bakers, Farm Shop, Ballard’s the Butchers
Estate Agents	Alexanders Residential
Banking	Post Office, National Westminster bank
Hairdressers	John’s, West End Hair
Garages	Stanleys (petrol and service station), Autobase (service station)
Agricultural	Scats, Small Engine Services
Emergency	Fire Brigade (volunteer), Kent Air Ambulance

Pictures from the top:The former Rose & Crown pub, Marden Primary School, Church Green shops

Outlying Areas

The Stilebridge Inn and Restaurant

Public House	The Stilebridge Inn and Restaurant
Fishing	Fishing clubs on various rivers and reservoirs, Monks Lake Fishery (Riverfield Carp Farm)
Travellers’ Site	Stilebridge Lane
Other	Farm gate trading (seasonal produce)

Questionnaire results: • A common suggestion was a need for a tea/coffee shop
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • Conversion of disused business premises to houses is a concern

Other Amenities

There is a strong feeling of community spirit within the parish, and that is because community is about people, not places. There are approximately forty different organisations, ranging from resident and amenity societies, through age or interest-specific clubs to sports teams.

For children, groups include the Mother and Toddler Club, Sunday School, Marden Young Players and Marden Young Musicians. The Scout and Guide movement is represented by Rainbows, Beavers, Brownies, Cubs, Scouts and Venture Scouts – all very successful. A weekly youth club also operates in the village.

Publications include the Parish Magazine, the Parish Pump and the Marden Online website.

The newly extended
Vestry Hall

Indoor sports include badminton, keep fit and short mat bowls. Sports and social clubs include the Working Men’s Club, Bowls Club, Cricket and Hockey Club, Football Club and Tennis Club. Other groups include the Marden Society, Theatre Group, Horticultural Society, Motor Club, Womens’ Institute, Mothers’ Union, Thursday Club, Good Companions, etc.

The village Library

Policing and Security

There is no permanent police presence in the village since the closure of the former small police office with its adjacent houses.
Security measures are an increasingly common sight on premises around the parish, with a large CCTV installation in and around the railway station and car park. A mobile police CCTV unit is also deployed in different parts of the village from time to time.

Questionnaire result
• Common concerns included the lack of facilities for
• young people, crime, vandalism and the lack of policing

Station security cameras

The former Police Office

Recommendations

• Existing amenities should be retained and, where possible, enhanced and added to.
• Disused shops and other closed premises should only be converted into housing as a last resort.
• The appropriate permanent buildings should be provided at the Primary School to cope with any increase in school numbers.
• Favourable consideration should be given to planning applications for new amenity buildings (or the conversion of existing
• buildings), particularly where they offer facilities for young people.
• Premises and funding for a village museum should be identified and obtained.
• Funding should be found for a higher level of rural policing (including CCTV and other modern technology).
• In the longer term, combined recreational facilities (such as a heated swimming pool) could be developed (perhaps with the primary • school working in partnership with the wider community).