Which one is Bucks’ best-kept village?

Liz Nicholls

Best Kept Village

Marlow has won the Buckinghamshire Best Kept Village Michaelis Cup for small towns

Marlow has been awarded the Buckinghamshire Best Kept Village Michaelis Cup in the small towns category of the annual competition. The judging, which took place in early June, evaluated various aspects such as green spaces, children’s play areas, floral displays, the cemetery, war memorial, nature conservation areas and community engagement. The judging panel praised the town’s hanging basket displays, the tidiness of the Cemetery, and the maintenance of the Causeway and War Memorial. Marlow received an impressive 192 points out of a possible 200.

The competition, based in Buckinghamshire and held annually between June and July, was established in 1957 by Sir Francis Dashwood and the Local Councils’ Association. It aims to encourage community collaboration across all age groups to enhance the attractiveness of villages and town for both residents and visitors.

The Leader of Marlow Town Council, Cllr Chris Funnell said: “We are proud of this success and see it as a foundation for addressing greater challenges such as environmental issues. This recognition motivates us to continue improving our community and we would like to thank the council team, community groups and residents for their dedication and support of our entry.”


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Marlow Best Kept Village

Liz Nicholls

Best Kept Village

Congratulations to Marlow, Best Kept Village!

Marlow has been awarded a certificate of merit in Buckinghamshire’s annual Best Kept Village Competition — “fully deserved” according to the competition’s administrator.

The judges’ comments included: “Excellent floral displays – strong community effort – in Jubilee colours”, “Areas around shops and pubs were to a very high standard” and“Good evidence of community effort in the town”.

“Excellent floral displays – strong community effort – in Jubilee colours”, “Areas around shops and pubs were to a very high standard” and“Good evidence of community effort in the town”.

Mayor Richard Scott said: “We’re delighted with the merit for Best Kept Village — the competition is fierce. I’m particularly impressed with the judges’ comments about community effort and would like to thank residents, businesses and Council workers for keeping our town clean and beautiful.”

Founded in 1957, the Best Kept Village Competition’s objective is to encourage entrants to work together as a community, involving all age groups, to make villages and towns more attractive places, not only for residents but also for visitors. The winner was Stony Stratford, with Wendover the runner-up.