Plans to ‘sympathetically’ redesign a Grade-II listed pub near the River Thames in Marlow include a new outdoor bar area and two-sided fireplace.

Heartwood Inns acquired the George and Dragon on The Causeway back in August after the Whitbread pub closed its doors over the summer citing a fall in trade.

The up-and-coming hospitality group owns 25 pubs in the UK including The Jolly Farmer in Chalfont St Peter – and pledged a multi-million-pound makeover of its first Marlow site and taking a leaf out of Wetherspoon’s book by paying homage to “the town’s (literary and sporting) history”.

Richard Ferrier, CEO of Heartwood, said the new-and-improved boozer would have capacity for 200 customers inside and 50 outside – and plans submitted to Buckinghamshire Council this month offer a glimpse into the specifics of his vision for the site.

Internal and external changes proposed for the building, which received Grade-II certification in the 1940s, include the creation of a new outdoor bar, the removal of a reception area for more seating and the installation of a new two-sided fireplace.

Detailing the specifics of the largely “modest” changes on behalf of the company, Walsingham Planning consultancy said the proposal amounted to the “sympathetic renovation of a heritage building” which would “significantly improve its functionality and appearance”.

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They also said the new site – which will continue to operate under the George and Dragon name – would create 45 jobs alongside employment opportunities during the construction phase.

And the consultant emphasised that the hefty investment project would “bring (a) community facility back into gainful use” and “support (a) strong, vibrant and healthy community” while “respecting (the building’s) heritage significance”.

The George and Dragon, as it stands, also has 18 guest rooms alongside a yard space and a set of outbuildings at its rear. These features are also incorporated into Heartwood Inns’ renovation plans – with proposals for new gates leading from The Causeway to the building’s back and the replacement of an outdoor fire escape staircase.

While Marlow has no shortage of pubs – with nearly 20 crowding its town centre and outskirts – Ferrier and co are hoping to stand out from the crowd by bringing Heartwood’s trademark “cosiness” and focus on “fresh, seasonal food” to the end of the high street.

Its fare is also likely to mirror The Jolly Farmer’s blended menu of classic British and French bistro dishes – with the hospitality company also behind popular French chain Brasserie Blanc, which has a branch in nearby Beaconsfield.