Claytons Bar – all the details on the re-opening

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Claytons Marlow
The Claytons Marlow - early stages of refurbishing, still very much a work in progress.

Some years ago, Claytons Bar was transformed from a very traditional old pub into THE place to go in town. At the height of it’s success, the place was incredibly popular and busy – but when the landlord and landlady decided to move on things took a turn for the worse. The place looked the same, but something was missing – and it just wasn’t as popular.

Having been closed (again) for some while, The Claytons is set to reopen on Saturday 2nd July (not Friday 1st as previously stated), and we have spoken to the guys who will be running it to get all the details.

The general theme is a blend of classic and contemporary English. They are trying to generate an environment where people of different age groups will feel equally comfortable coming for a coffee and a cake during the day as having a nice glass of red wine with a cheeseboard in the evening.

Antosh, one of the pair running the bar, said “We are keen to be known for attentive and friendly service with high quality products, whether it be the wines, the cocktails or the charcuterie. We want to keep it simple but perfect.”

Previous incarnations of the Claytons had DJs at weekends, and both Antosh and business partner Aaron are DJs themselves. However they are not planning on following that route and will not have DJs.  Given their background, however, Antosh added that “the music policy, whether it be laid back during the day or more lively at the weekends, has taken a considerable amount of thought and time.”

Inside, not much has been changed structurally, but they are making significant cosmetic changes, but are keeping tight lipped at present – “it is strikingly different, but we are trying to be a little secretive in how it looks so that it is a nice surprise for people when they visit.”

Food will be offered, intended to complement the drink offering – e.g. cheeseboards and charcuterie boards.

Open hours are Thu 9:30am-11pm,Fri 9:30am-1am, Sat 11am-1am, Sun 11am-10:30pm.
Serving Coffee, Tea & Cakes 7 days a week.  Baby change facilities and  child friendly in the day all week.

Given the past history, the opening is sure to create a fair bit of buzz, and we will of course be visiting for a full review.

19 thoughts on “Claytons Bar – all the details on the re-opening”

  1. What Marlow is really missing is a venue offering live music (and i’m not talking about the local death metal band. Perhaps the new Claytons could fill this void? – a piano bar with a decent wine list would go down a treat!

  2. We went to the Claytons on Saturday night however we were not allowed in as my boyfriend was wearing 3 quarter length trousers?!? They have a new ‘silly’ rule that men can’t wear shorts, firstly I don’t count 3 quarter length smart chinos as shorts, secondly women are allowed to wear shorts and also tiny skirts that show knickers so how is that fair and lastly hello, it’s the summer!! As we were arguing these points with the ‘bouncer’ three people walked out and told us not to bother going in there because they don’t play any music at all and it’s just very dull in there compared to how it used to be.
    My advice, don’t bother going. Silly ‘rules’ and no music where is your incentive to go??

  3. I went in there at the weekend and was not impressed. I won’t be going back, do they really think that Marlow is full of only the over 40’s?!?

    Bring back the pubs that cater for the 20-35 year olds, we already lost the chequers to the old farts!!

  4. I went in there and won’t go back, I was a regular at the old Claytons and they’ve made the same mistake as the new chequers by shunning the old regulars and making them feel unwelcome. I miss the old pubs in Marlow that welcomed all ages and did not just cater for the older generation.

    Me and my friends won’t be going back and that no shorts rule is a joke!

  5. 3 quarter length trousers are the worst of the worst. I wouldn’t let anyone into my house in them let alone a bar I owned.

  6. Agree with Terry, men should not be wearing 3/4 length trousers out on a Saturday night…….or any night. The guy shouldn’t have just been refused entry to this bar but from the town as a whole…….what next for men – leggings??!!!!!!

  7. I don’t understand how pubs and bars can complain about the government taxing them out of existance and then they turn smartly dressed punters away at the door.
    Smart casuals include shorts in the summer, as far as im concerned. Some shorts look pretty smart with a nice short sleeved trendy shirt.

    However, I can understand a bar not wanting troublemakers and banning football shirts, combat trousers, etc to give the place a nice looking and upmarket crowd who are more likely to spend money and less likely to cause trouble. But to ban shorts in the summer is a little silly.

    Dont think ill bother going once if they are making the place that exclusive. Ill wait until it goes out of business again and then see if they loosen up a little next time round.

  8. I totally agree with Kayleigh. Men & women should have equal rights to wear what they please. So if a man turned up in a mini skirt or a woman turned up in mans suit would they be refused entry too? Women can wear mini skirts & shorts out so if I wish to wear smart 3/4 trouser out on a hot summers Sat night I will do so too. We talked about walking down this afternoon but I was wearing shorts & I certainly wasn’t going to change into long trousers just so I could get into a local cafe/wine bar with delusions of grandeur! Obviously I wont be spending my hard earned in Claytons, which on principle I will boycott!!
    I would be very interested to hear the Claytons rational for their stupid rule?
    Also I have read a few things about the ‘New Clayton’ but it all seems a bit drippy & pointless. Is it going to be a vibrant new night spot for the money spending wealthy Marlow set or is it a tea shop with old fashioned ideas? Even their web site tells you nothing at all!

    When it was at its most successful, a three years ago, it appealed mostly to the over 30’s, divorced & singles who went there to meet other similar types. It used to be heaving thurs, frid & sat…long queues on freezing wet winter nights!!! The rest of the week it ticked over nicely doing Tapas, a quiet place to sit & chat but still a slightly modern athmosphere with groovy music. Why mend it if it aint broke???

  9. BTW, The reason i am on your blog site is because I Googled Claytons to see if I could find out what it has been reincarnated as. Is it a tea/coffee shop? (as the signs outside would lead us to believe) Is it a pub? A cocktail bar? A wine bar? A cake shop? A cheese shop? a Charcuterie? It seems that they are trying to be all things to all people so it’s all very confussing & contradictory.

  10. I agree with Terry and Owen. 3/4 length trousers look unspeakably bad on a grown man. No one over the age of 15 should be allowed to wear them. Rock on.

  11. Surely, it’s all a matter of personal taste & fashion, there is no right or wrong. Personally I find older women & women with fat legs wearing mini skirts offensive!! Up until a few years ago jeans were considered to be bad taste! Even the royals wear denim now!
    Freedom of choice is the point! Claytons have the freedom it seems to make rules about clothing based on gender. Women can wear 3/4 length trousers but men can’t.
    I have a pair of Boss 3/4 length trousers that probably cost twice as much as the average pair of Chinos or jeans. Also ones made by Crew & Armani…..err high end respectable designers I think!
    If it’s about subjective taste then who decides whats in good taste? I bet there will be a few horrible shirts & dresses out in Marlow on a Sat night too….should we perhaps start employing taste police to roam the streets!

  12. I thought that I was living in free society where we all had freedom of choice to pretty much wear what we like!! This isnt just about taste..one mans posion and all that!!…surely, its also about sex discrimination too? If woman can wear what they like in a place regardless of taste or decency….then men should have the same rights too!! Especially if woman are allowed to wear that particular item of clothing but not men!

  13. Im so glad other people have the same opinion! Ok the point isnt about the 3/4 length trousers and I don’t think people should be making comments on here trying to offend people who wear those clothes. The point is that the claytons is trying to dictate what people wear in their pub. If men can’t wear shorts in the summer then I don’t think they should let girls in, in tiny mini skirts where you can see their knickers. I went back there a couple of weeks ago (only because my brother in law was back from america and thats where he was) to be honest I still won’t go back, we got an offer to meet some friends there at the weekend and I turned it down. It’s dull, boring and these silly rules about clothes is just terrible.

  14. I think the new Claytons is fabulous in every way, have been for coffee several times, peaceful, great coffee, good service and the surroundings so much better than they were before. In the evenings the cocktails were great, all ages there but a feeling of inclusion for everyone and a lovely buzz…well done Antosh and Aaron, Marlow needed you.
    PS re. men in shorts can now come in but speaking as a woman…why would you?

  15. Well what can I say, if you act like children you don’t deserve to go in. I’m not a local but have been really enjoying Claytons, Jazz night was great! These guys have made a great effort in hard times to reopen the place and a bit of support from the locals wouldn’t go a miss. Well done guys, fab bar.

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Article author: Paul Merchant

About the author: Founded MyMarlow.co.uk in its original version back in 2000 - yes the internet DID exist back then. Brought up in Marlow, went to school here, now has children at the same schools. Quite clearly loves all things Marlow - hence spending over 2 decades doing this!

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