All change at The Duke!

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When our pubs are allowed to open again, there will be a bit of extra excitement at The Duke pub on Queen’s Road – it’s had a change of management and will reopen refurbished, and full of changes. It will definitely remain a local pub – including a made-over garden, pool table and so on, but with contemporary additions.

Live music will be a feature, and the new management’s love of music will be evident through the decor and ambiance. Big news on the food front too – authentic Chinese from Ling Poon, who used to run the Coach and Horses before it changed to The Coach.

Check out our photos below, and then further down we have all the details direct from the new management!

Photos of the Work in Progress

It will be clear these photos show the changes “in progress”! However, we thought it would be good to share in idea of changes for those familiar with the pub. Highlights – the bar has been extended, the main indoor area has been made more open and spacious, with a stage area added. The garden has been reworked – with the under cover section smartened up.

Details direct from the new management

The best way to appreciate the new team’s aims is to hear it direct from them! So here we go:


Hi – when we re-open The Duke it will have undergone many great changes & improvements and will opening under new management. The Duke will maintain all of its history and dignity, keeping the spirit alive but with many, many exciting new additions and changes.

Who are we? Steve who leads the team is locally born, educated and worked and socialised in the town for many years and firmly believes in the great town that Marlow is and the people who live here too.

We are seeking to combine the very best of the local pub with that of a contemporary cantina, and yes it can be done. With friends and backing from the music business, restaurant and hospitality trades, our culture is one of great atmosphere with the best of people against a backdrop of the best food, drinks, fantastic customers, brilliant music, sound and vision.

We are really very excited to announce the return of authentic Chinese cuisine to Marlow with the same team of Ling Poon running the kitchen, who ran The Coach and Horses in recent years. Extensive menu and food available to either eat in and also for takeaway, watch this space for the food launch.

Improvements inside include a much longer and accessible bar, new seating, upgraded loos, new lighting, audio, audio visual and full décor change. Much focus on the decking areas under cover, we now offer seating for 30 under cover on the decks with high tables and stools, lots of new lighting and artwork. The garden has had a complete makeover and we have added a garden lounge with seating also.

Inside we have made the great addition of a raised stage for events, we plan to host live music at least once a month using the stage and new lighting / PA.

Music will not dominate the day to day, but we will be bringing in bands and acts who have never played in Marlow before, from the breaking through to the established, with the addition of Party Nights being in the mix on a monthly basis. No juke box but we are privileged to have virtual guest DJs putting playlists of many different genres together for us to suit the many different tastes and times of day. These DJs come from the music business, creative arts and just good friends, and are also working on our own internet radio station being set up playing non-stop music from our library (‘thedukebox’ coming soon….)

Full gin bar, plus a Bourbon bar also; Full range of ales and lagers, including four lagers and we will continue to promote the excellent beers from Rebellion; Introducing a new range of ciders; impressive wine list of European and New World wines with regular wine tastings to finesse the wine list and Cocktails and happy hours will become a regular weekend feature for the town.

We are uncertain when we will be able to open in any capacity, so against a background of change, we will be ready to welcome old faces and new alike to a very exciting new era in Marlow just as soon as we can….

Please stay safe and we look forward to seeing you soon.

MyMarlow’s view

These all sound very positive changes, from a local team with a vision for what a real pub should be – with ideas to make it also stand out in Marlow. The pub’s location makes it convenient for many, but also needs to attract customers from elsewhere around town – and we think it should have the potential to do so!

We will keep you updated as things continue to develop!

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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