A landlord has questioned whether there are enough customers to go around after early plans for a new gastropub emerged last week.

Mick Kellas, of the Cross Keys, said another pub in Marlow's crowded food and drink scene would make it even more difficult for traditional 'community pubs'.

Catering recruitment site ITK posted an advertisement for a general manager of a new "upmarket gastropub near Marlow".

The location has not been disclosed, but the advert claims it will be "in the Marlow area" from a company which operates a "small group of upmarket gastro pubs".

And Mr Kellas, who took over the Spittal Street pub five years ago, said another player on the scene would make life increasingly tough for existing landlords.

He said: "Sadly we are losing more shops and office buildings and there will not be too many pubs to serve the number of people in Marlow. It would be interesting to see the workfroce number on Marlow compared to 20 years ago.

"I think everyone would find it harder, it's all getting very competitive nowadays, and if there are enough people I don't know.

"Pubs as a whole across the country are dying, it's all about gastropubs and not community pub environments.

"I think there's only a couple of places left [in Marlow] that cater for local people. People are pitching to people from a 15-mile radius as a destination."

Marlow has seen an influx of new upmarket eateries in recent years, with Tom Kerridge taking over the Coach and Horses pub this year.

Other town pubs have also made the switch to family friendly gastropubs, including the Britannia, Chequers and Baroosh.

Marlow drinkers have previously told the MFP of their sadness at the dwindling number of ‘traditional pubs’ in town, with customers at the Duke of Cambridge blaming the trend for the demise of the Marlow darts league.

The Gastropub recruiters would not reveal the location of details of the mooted pub until the plans are at the "final stages".