Just re-born as an art gallery/music venue and (mainly) student pub slap bang between Camberwell and Peckham, The Marlborough is the labour of love of the unlikely named partnership of John Bundy and Simon Nundy.

With a long and well-established background in live music and bar management (John having managed The New Cross Inn, Fox And Firkin and Paradise Bar to name but a few and Simon being a promoter, band manager and “long-suffering, virtually bankrupt record label proprietor”) the two are well equipped for such a venture.

And with a catchment area that includes pretty much every campus on South London’s buzzing student scene, it looks like the Bundy-Nundy (or Nundy-Bundy depending on who you’re speaking to) project can’t go wrong.

“We’ve both worked here for approximately 840 hours with a couple of hours sleep in between,” they tell me as I’m shown round the partially renovated Marlborough, that already has what looks like a devoted team of regulars propping up the bar (or are they just the workmen?).

Since taking over on 11 August, there’s clearly been a lot of work done to what used to be “a traditional local boozer with a reputation for darts, local characters and old school cover bands and karaoke,” but it looks like there’s still a lot more to do as well.

The pub is large and split into three different areas, which will make way for live music and comedy – and the fun will kicked off from 27 September in the form of two weeks worth of launch parties that will include performances from the likes of Nebraska, Paul Sinha, Joe Wilkes and Siobhan Parr to name but a few.

Outside there’s a surprisingly large garden which will mean The Marlborough will be a definite favourite with students and local drinkers come next summer; as well as the other facet of the boys’ perceived future clientele… “Anyone but tossers - although we make exceptions for good looking female tossers.”

I’m told that despite not being open long, The Marlborough has so far been busy with a “vibrant mix of locals of all ages” as well as “musicians, art students and random, drunken mates” and as I’m led round, there’s already a sense of a friendly and relaxed atmosphere – with people already looking like they’ve been drinking there for years.
Music wise, Bundy and Nundy hope to have a focus on bands that have some sort of South London connection. “Everything from Siobhain Parr to Bacardiac Arrest,” they tell me, “and Bad Manners should be playing in about two months time.
“The best and worst gig we’ve had so far was the hard man of rock Matt Daley, who against his better judgment was talked into a one man improv of ‘Eye of the Tiger’, including guitar, trumpet and drums. Sorry Matt.”

They say that their main ambitions for the venue are to create somewhere where everyone feels welcome and where every band wants to play. “As long as we give people what they want,” I’m told, “we should be here for good.”
At the moment, The Marlborough still has a bit of a way to go in terms of décor, but it already feels a lot more relaxing and welcoming than most places you’ll walk into in central London.

And with Nundy and Bundy at the helm (840 hours on the job with only a couple of hours sleep in between is no mean feat) the place will no doubt be looking ship shape in next to no time.