Pub - Marlow
The Ship
The Ship on West Street is Marlow's most relaxed local pub - good cask ale, a dog-friendly policy, and no pretensions about competing with its famous neighbour.
Address
6 West Street, Marlow SL7 2LS
Hours
Daily 11am-11pm
Price
££
Features
Marcus Osei
Contributing Editor - Reviewed 22 March 2026
The space
The Ship is on West Street, three buildings down from The Hand and Flowers, and occupies the useful social position of being the pub that people go to when they cannot get a table at the gastropub, when they cannot afford the gastropub, or when they simply want a pub rather than a dining experience. The interior is comfortable and unfussy. The garden at the rear is pleasant in good weather.
What to drink
The drinks range is standard - draught lager, a couple of ales, wine and spirits in the usual measures. Nothing remarkable, nothing wrong. The pricing is fair for Marlow, which is to say slightly above the national average but well below the worst of the Thames Valley premium.
The verdict
The Ship is the pub you go to when you have been walking the Thames Path and want a reliable drink before the drive or train home. It is not a destination; it is a good local pub in a town where good local pubs are slightly harder to find than the restaurant reputation would suggest. It serves its purpose with competence and warmth.
More in Marlow
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