A recently refurbished club located in the centre of Marden, Kent, has been named best in the country in CAMRA’s Club of the Year competition.
The club was completely renovated in 2017 to produce a light, airy, and friendly atmosphere. The grade II listed community hub boasts six real ales generally, from local microbreweries, and a snooker and darts teams for its members. Many members are involved in these teams; others simply enjoy the friendly ambiance and watch live football and rugby on the sports TV.
Simon Banfield, Marden Village Club steward, said: “We are really thrilled to have won this year. To have made it into the top four clubs nationally of what is a really strong competition was a real honour and a great achievement, but to go on and win, receiving recognition from CAMRA for the work that we do here for our members, is fantastic.
“It really is a big team effort, with a huge thanks to the proactive committee that organises our regular entertainment and live music events, as well as undertake an incredible amount of fundraising for our chosen charities. A huge thank you, as well, to our amazing bar team, who work really hard to provide a friendly warm welcome alongside great service, and also to our cleaner who keeps the club clean and tidy.
“As a large part of the award is about great real ales, we must thank all of our suppliers who provide us with some fantastic products and service.
“Lastly the biggest thanks of all goes to our members who come out and support us in what we do, and in turn provide a great atmosphere making the club a fantastic place to be in.”
CAMRA awards director, Laura Emson, said: “Huge congratulations are in order for the Marden Village Club, which truly epitomises what it is to be a club at the heart of its local community. From organising charity events to running a warm hub for people struggling during the winter months, they are so much more than just a local business.”
Clubs in the competition are selected by CAMRA volunteers and judged on their atmosphere, décor, welcome, service, value for money, customer mix and, most importantly, quality of beer. Runners-up include the Cheltenham Motor Club, Dobcross Band Social Club in Greater Manchester, and Barnton Cricket Club in Merseyside-Cheshire.
