The Three Tuns: Butcher and The Oarsman New Partnership

What began years ago over the counter at celebrated butchers Gabriel Machin in Henley has now come full circle as Barry, the butcher, and his long-standing customer Nigel Sutcliffe (owner of The Oarsman in Marlow) have fulfilled their joint dream and together acquired The Three Tuns pub in Henley, due to open in May 2025.

The pub was recently closed for refurbishment after Harry and Hannah Dickson, who had a five-year lease from 2019.

“This new passion project is all about paying homage to this beloved, part 13th century historic pub and giving it the attention it deserves” said the duo. Together, they aim to create a welcoming space for the local community to enjoy warm hospitality, top-quality butcher’s cuts, and great ale. Starters will include Gabriel Machin Oak Smoked Salmon with Celeriac Remoulade; Ham Hock Terrine with Piccalilli and Fennel & Nduja Cambridge Sausages. The mains will be determined by Barry’s butcher counter and will include a selection of meats and fish cooked on the robata grill.

After a light refurbishment, the pub will reopen in May with a fantastic new menu offering great value, along with a Burger Shed at the back serving delicious burgers to enjoy at the pub or take away, all while you relax with a pint in the cosy courtyard.

The venue will be run by the team from The Oarsman, with the kitchen headed up by The Oarsman’s Executive Chef Scott Smith, and the front of house run by General Manager Patrycja Gajda.

Nigel has been a long-standing customer of Barry’s, and the duo had jokingly discussed their plans for the pub next door for over 25 years. Nigel is no stranger to the hospitality industry, having previously held positions including Director of The Fat Duck – working hand-in-hand with Heston developing the restaurant’s platform to become known as ‘The World’s Best Restaurant’, as well as Managing Director of The Crazy Bear Group of hotels and restaurants.

Nigel comments: “Gabriel Machin is such an institution in Henley – and rightly so – selling the highest quality cuts of meat, and fish and Barry is such a well-loved and well-respected figure in the community. I’ve always loved the idea of buying the pub next door, using Barry’s incredible produce combined with Scott’s talents in the kitchen to create something special. Our aim is for The Three Tuns to be a beloved space for the local community to enjoy great food, wine and ales in a warm and welcoming environment.”

Barry added, “I am beyond excited to kick off this new chapter with the Three Tuns. This pub is the cornerstone of our community’s history, and we are eager to breathe new life into it. I’ve been thinking about running a nice pub with great food for years and this just feels right. I have known Nigel for years and we’ve often said if we found the right place we’d go for it, and here we are. We want to maintain the feel and the history of the place and make a it a welcoming pub for locals and visitors. I’m really excited about being able to showcase all the fabulous meat, seafood, fish and cheese we stock at Machins and create something very special. We have a an amazingly loyal customer base at the butchers and the buzz amongst them about the re-opening of the pub has been overwhelming. With the expertise from Nigel and his team, Scott in the kitchen and the best of Machins we really think the new ‘Chop House’ is going to be very popular.”

Gerard Winder, Business Development Manager at Brakspear said, “We are delighted to confirm that Barry Wagner of Machin’s Butchers, in partnership with Nigel Sutcliffe from the Oarsman in Marlow have become the new business owners at the Three Tuns. They took the keys on 20^th February and the pub will remain closed for 6/8 weeks whilst the premises undergo an exciting refurbishment and relaunch with an exciting ‘chophouse’ style offer supplied from Machin’s next-door. There was a lot of interest in this popular and historic landmark public house, but Barry and Nigel approached us with a fantastic plan to put the Tuns back on the map and were the standout applicants. We look forward to working with Barry and Nigel and are exciting about the plans they have for the business.”