Ray Lewis
Romney Marsh Visitor Centre and Nature Reserve
Location
Know before you go
Dogs
When to visit
Opening times
Please note that the Visitor Centre is now closed.Best time to visit
The country park and gardens will remain open to the public.About the reserve
Update
It is with a heavy heart that we have decided not to renew our lease of Romney Marsh Visitor Centre this year and will be handing the keys back to Folkestone and Hythe District Council from the 31st July 2024.
All existing event bookings will continue as planned and the gardens, country park and trails will remain open for visitors although toilet and cafe opening hours may become more limited from June onwards as the lease end date approaches. Please check our website pages and social media for the latest updates about any upcoming planned closure dates before you visit.
We’re hugely thankful to our wonderful staff and incredible volunteers, who have helped turn the centre and gardens into the beautiful wildlife haven and community hub that it is today. We’re hopeful that this will give a new opportunity for another local organisation/s to take it on and go on to safeguard this site for future generations.
With fascinating displays depicting the region’s natural and social history and opportunities to discover, explore and learn about the Romney Marsh’s unique landscape.
Please see below for questions and answers about this decision.
About the reserve
The Visitor Centre is set in an 11 hectare nature reserve - Romney Warren, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. Wildlife conservation interest on this important site is provided by the dune grassland with it's special flora, mosses and lichens and seasonal ponds, which hold nationally important populations of Great crested newts and Great silver beetles. Rare medicinal leeches and many species of dragonfly and damselflies are also found here.
The Visitor Centre building itself is an award-winning eco-friendly building with many interesting and sustainable features. The Centre is the proud holder of a Gold Award in Green Tourism Business Scheme - the first such award for a visitor attraction in Kent.
Light refreshments are served in the café, and friendly, knowledgeable volunteers can offer information and guidance on what to visit and see in the area. There is a gift shop with local crafts, cards, wildlife information and maps of the area on sale, and locally sourced plants produce and preserves are always available.
There is an art gallery with exhibitions by local artists throughout the spring and summer. The exhibitions can be viewed any time the Visitor Centre is open. There are gentle walks and picnic areas around the grounds and gardens with a boardwalk over the seasonal ponds to the reconstructed Lookers Hut, and views across the Romney Marsh. There is access to the sign-posted trails around the Romney Warren Country Park (managed by the Romney Marsh Countryside Partnership) which is situated beside the Visitor Centre. Contact us by telephone on 01797 369487 or email us at [email protected]
The Marsh Community Garden offers many opportunities for volunteers to enjoy the many beneficial aspects of gardening; the garden is maintained to provide habitats for wildlife, With produce from the garden sold to raise funds for Kent Wildlife Trust and also shared amongst the volunteers. For more information about the garden, or about joining us as a volunteer please contact the Romney Marsh Visitor Centre on 01797 369487 or email [email protected]
Location map
Leaving the Romney Marsh Visitor Centre
It is with a heavy heart that we have decided not to renew our lease of Romney Marsh Visitor Centre this year and will be handing the keys back to Folkestone and Hythe District Council from the 31 July 2024. Please find below answers to some of the questions you may have.
Why have you made this decision?
Having completed a full review it’s become clear that with visitor numbers dropping and costs increasing our management of the visitor centre here is no longer viable and does not now fit within our strategic objectives. We will therefore be reinvesting this spend into alternative projects that we feel will deliver greater benefits for nature. We’re hugely thankful to all our staff and volunteers who have made the centre, gardens and trails the wonderful wildlife haven and community hub that it is today. We’re hopeful that this will give a new opportunity for another local organisation/s to take it on and go on to safeguard this site for future generations. As a SSSI site there is not risk of development here.
What will happen to Romney Marsh Visitor Centre now?
We’re working closely with the team at Folkestone and Hythe District Council who are actively exploring opportunities with several local interested parties about taking over the lease here. Romney Warren Country Park is managed by the Romney Marsh Countryside Partnership and will remain open. If you or anyone you know would be interested in taking over the visitor centre lease please get in touch with the district council to discuss options.
When will Kent Wildlife Trust leave Romney Marsh Visitor Centre?
Our lease officially ends on the 31 July but we will be winding down our activities and starting to reduce the visitor centre opening hours from June onwards with our last event hosted here on the 19 May. All existing event bookings will be honoured and the gardens, country park and trails will continue to remain open for visitors although toilet and cafe opening hours may become more limited as the lease end date approaches. Please check our website pages and social media for the latest updates about any upcoming planned closure dates before you visit.
Will it remain open to the public when you leave?
The country park, gardens and trails will continue to remain open. Once new leaseholders are confirmed they will no doubt share more information about their plans for future visitation of the centre.
Will the other visitor centres close soon too?
There is absolutely no intention to close our visitor centre at Sevenoaks in fact we’re looking to enhance our offering there in the coming months and years. We have also recently signed a new cafe partnership at Tyland Barn and are exploring expansion opportunities at Oare Marshes and The Blean. We are fully committed to building our community organising and engagement activities as a key part of our Wilder Kent 2030 strategy and see our reserves, visitor centres and events programme to be instrumental in achieving our goal to inspire 25% of Kent residents to act for nature.
I’ve booked an event with you, will it be cancelled?
All planned events at Romney Marsh Visitor Centre will go ahead and bookings will be honoured. In the extremely unlikely event that anything changes event bookers will be contacted and refunds given.
What other sites can I visit nearby when Romney Marsh Visitor Centre is closed?
We’re hopeful that new leaseholders will be found quickly and that the visitor centre will continue to stay open. Romney Warren Country Park will remain open but is not managed by Kent Wildlife Trust. Nearby similar sites to the visitor centre include Rye Harbour and Conningbrook Lakes which offer great facilities too.