marleyS – most importantly is mark and charly

Marleys is Mark and Charly.  The couple met in the first week at University in Portsmouth and soon became inseparable.  Their friends started calling them Marley and they knew that if they ever had their own restaurant, that would be its name.  Nearly 11 years on from that first meeting, and with a wealth of experience behind them, Mark and Charly are celebrating  6 years of running the hugely successful Marleys on The Old High Street.  Now based on the corner, at the bottom entrance of Folkestone’s The Old High Street, the duo have created a place that caters for breakfast brunch moments, onwards to dinner feasts, with everything seasonally curated on the menu.   Folkelife met up with Charly to find out more about their story.

“We were studying Hospitality Management with Tourism at Uni and met in Freshers Week and became best friends.  As our friends had adopted the name Marley for us we knew that if we ever had our own place, we wouldn’t struggle for a name.  We’ve worked in loads of different places, and around the world too, but it was when we were working at the Abbots Fireside in Elham, near Folkestone, running the place, and living in, that we decided it was time we did this for ourselves, and not for someone else. 

“So in 2018 we found our location in the middle of The Old High Street in Folkestone.  It was really quick.  We looked at 3 places and this was just right, so it seemed like it was meant to be.  It’s important to understand that our name isn’t just over the doorway as you come in, but we’re here every day working in the restaurant.  I’m front of house, and Mark is in the kitchen.  It’s crucial that we’re here as this is our business.”

the establishment

“Now, looking at what we’ve achieved, we’re celebrating a year of being on The Corner, our not-so-new-space that has been a huge success.  I can’t believe it’s been a year now!  And that’s 6 years of being Marleys, so things are worth celebrating.  

“There are times when we have a queue stretching outside the door and that’s quite overwhelming!   It’s incredibly flattering to see people queuing, even in the rain, so it shows we’re doing something right!  What’s also good to know is that now we have space, we have a waiting area inside, so that your wait isn’t too long for a table.  If ever you do see a queue, it goes down quickly! 

“With breakfasts, people come to enjoy what we do, but then go on about their day.  Our lunch service is important to us, but then we have a break to prep for dinner. Our area for coffee and cakes accommodates pushchairs, and dogs and space to stretch out a bit.  We knew that was important to us, rather than cramming every space with a table.”

Seasonal produce

“We have always had a menu that changes with the seasons, and serves fresh produce.  We serve coffee and cake in the afternoons, so that gives us time to prep for dinner.  Our seasonality is part of who we are, but yes, you will always find our buttermilk chicken, burger and a lamb dish, whatever time of the year.  We get many recommendations for our vegan food too, so there’s something for everyone here. 

“We opened in December 2018 and since then we haven’t actually had a normal year of trading!  2019 was great, then bam!  Along comes March 2020 – lock down, shut down and goodness knows what!  It was a crazy time.  We were closed for 9 months in total but… we made it through!

“It’s important that our customers feel comfortable and cosy here.  The two dining areas keep the space feeling small, even though we can have big parties in each area.  You don’t feel like you’re in a big room.  Intimate and cosy is what we’re about.  We see a lot of date nights in here, and we’ve worked on the sound-damping so that it’s not too noisy.  Just remember to book!  We don’t take bookings during the day, but it’s important to book dinner.”

looking out on the fountains

“Being at the bottom entrance of The Old High Street means that we have more outside space too.  Yes, that is weather dependent, but it’s important when there’s weather to enjoy!  Looking out on a view of the harbour is really good, and you can see it from the kitchen, which makes a change! 

“Our kitchen is so much bigger now we’re at The Corner.  But we do pride ourselves in catering for dietary needs, so you need that space in order to prepare and cook without contamination.  I’ve heard we’re recommended on national coeliac sites and that’s really special. So although we now have more space, our menu hasn’t expanded.  

“Our menus will continue to change with the seasons.  We have 4 main seasonal menus but then there are usually tweaks during those seasons.  For example, asparagus isn’t around for the whole of spring, so we get it whilst it’s good and then exchanged it when something new comes in.  Our attention to locally produced ingredients is key to what we do, and that will never change.”