East Sussex village pub’s new landlord plans to offer great food and bring back traditional games

Christopher Marlowe, 41, from Tunbridge Wells, has taken on a lease at The Wheel Inn on Heathfield Road, which will open on June 3.

He received the keys on May 20 and is removing a pool table and fruit machine to make way for ‘vintage games’, including bar billiards, shove ha’penny and ringing the bull.

Christopher said he will offer exceptional gastropub food in a place where everyone is welcome.

He said he loves going into pubs and is sad so many are closing. But Christopher believes landlords need to keep up with changing trends.

He said: “The pubs that seem to do well are those that do good food, but I’m very keen to explore different ways to try to rejuvenate a pub as well.”

Christopher said: “I’d like to reach out to different groups and offer a place for the elderly to gather for elevenses on Monday morning when we’ll typically be quiet.”

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He continued: “A builder in his work clothes should to be able to walk into a pub and sit at the bar and have a pint in one hand and a scotch egg in the other while we’re still catering for an elderly couple on their 50th wedding anniversary who want to sit down and have a four-course champagne dinner.”

Christopher said he wants to ‘intertwine the pub with the local community’ because he grew up in the area, attending school in Heathfield. He said: “I’ve got lots of friends and family in the area. I’ve also visited the pub on and off over the years.”

He added that the direction for his business is: “We will endeavor to honour the heritage of British pub culture while exploring new and exciting ways to delight our customers.”

Christopher said he has been in a wheelchair for 16 years, but he does not let it hold him back. He previously owned Heathfield’s Café Style until it closed during the Covid pandemic. He said: “I’ve always been a host going right back into my younger years. I’ve always liked throwing dinner parties and putting on birthday surprises for people.”