Growth since the 1950s has been by infilling with new housing in the gap between the old High Street and the newer Markyate by-pass. In 2014 most of the village's light industry area off Hicks Road was demolished, to be replaced by new housing and shops. The Gainsborough film "The Wicked Lady" was based on events surrounding the life of Lady Katherine Ferrers — the wife of the major landowner in the area – at Markyate Cell. Parts of the film "The Dirty Dozen" were also filmed in the village and surrounding area, the stockade being built in the grounds of the local preparatory school. Markyate has two junior schools: Markyate JMI (state) and Beechwood Park School (independent). The latter is south-west of the village in Beechwood Park, the site of a former Benedictine nunnery. Adjacent to the park was an Army Y-station during the Second World War. Beechwood Park lent its name to a song by the Zombies, written by the group's bassist Chris White. The song has since been covered by Beck in live shows. From its height in the coaching era, only two public houses now remain in the village: the Plume of Feathers and the Swan. The White Hart closed in the early 1970s, followed by the Red Lion at the end of 2009 and Sun Inn in 2014, all of which became private dwellings. A micro-pub 'the Local' opened within the village in 2016. Being near the M1 motorway and Luton Airport, there is a large three-star Holiday Inn hotel just south-east of the village. Markyate has four Indian restaurants including "Saffron" (on the A5183) plus "The Pavilion", "Markyate Tandoori", and "Markyate Spice" all on the High Street, with the latter being named Best Chef at the Curry Life Awards 2018. There has also been a fish and chips shop in the village since the 1960s. Markyate also offers a gym/personal training studio called Gymtro, a pharmacy and doctors' surgery, a general store, a hardware store, and a bakers.