The Crown in Radnage near Wycombe prepares for reopening

Just over 18 months after shutting its doors in January 2023, The Crown on City Road in Radnage will reopen for custom on Saturday, August 31 – promising locals “something different” from its competitors around Wycombe.

The site was bought by Marc Delmotte last February, who said the delay in getting it back in action was down to a lengthy consideration by Buckinghamshire Council of his plans to add on a new café and boutique hotel service.

During the cool-off period, he temporarily used the land as a car dealership – prompting some local confusion – but was convinced of the merit in holding out “for the right person” to take the helm when he met new manager Martina, who recently moved to Radnage after 20 years of running her own bar in Ireland.

Speaking about giving the pub a “new lease of life” earlier this summer, Martina said she was drawn to the area because it offered “something different” and was a “lovely countryside (spot) not too far from London”.

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She added: “It just looked like a nice area. When I joined the team, we did some research about the village, found out what it was missing and decided to fill that space.

“You’ve got to provide a bit more as a pub nowadays to survive in the industry. In my experience, a big part of it is also hiring local people and getting the community involved.

“I just think it’s a project with huge potential –there’s already been lots of great feedback from the locals. They’ll stop by or just chat on the street. Everyone's really excited - it feels very positive.”

The new-and-improved Crown will reopen on Saturday with a raft of new features and services – but still hopes to keep its reputation as a “good, old-fashioned country pub” intact.

With ties already formed with local butchers and breweries, the future is certainly looking bright – will you be heading down for a pint next weekend?