While full details of the new sites are still under wraps, Bonwick says it will be located within a five mile radius of The Crown within ‘the UK’s most beautiful market town’.
Presumably located in Marlow, the new site will be within 'a traditional restaurant premises', marking a change of approach for Bonwick, who has cooked in high-end Berkshire pubs for much of his career.
Bonwick says the offer will be even more refined than The Crown, which is currently ranked 68 on our list of the top 100 places to eat in the UK.
“No more pubs for us. It will be a straight-up restaurant," says Bonwick, who runs The Crown with the help of his large family (he has eight children). "It will be more upmarket as that is the way we feel thing are going."
"There’s no sadness. Nothing has gone wrong as such. We want to start a fresh story in a new, larger location. We’re leaving proud and with a great reputation this time. I’ve left my other places in rather parlous states so to leave solvent and with integrity is amazing."
A noted soloist, Bonwick will continue to cook unaided in the kitchen. He plans to deal with the larger dining room and more ambitious menu by "simply working harder'".
The last service at The Crown - which opened in 2012 - will take place on Saturday 18 December with the new site expected to open shortly after that.