Get your party gear out as Magoos independent bar in Hart Street, Henley is celebrating 20 years of providing an epic venue for all to laugh, drink, dance and make memories in.

Magoos father and daughter team, Laurence and Hollie Wilson, are inviting one and all to celebrate with them on the weekend of the 20th September as they “raise the curtain on an unforgettable evening of revelry, nostalgia, and, of course, great music and exquisite cocktails.”

• Friday 20th September – Magoos Roaring 20s Party
• Saturday 21st September – Magoos Guilty Pleasures House Party
• Sunday 22nd September – Magoos Casino Royale Sunday

Magoos as a business started in Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire and then expanded into Henley in 2004. Since then Magoos has been the go-to place for locals and visitors alike offering a unique blend of ambience, great music and camaraderie.

When they first opened they were not a late-night venue but rather an English restaurant with the head chef from Champneys Health Resort. The previous owners of the building David Wells and his family who ran the Old Rope Walk tea rooms even helped in the kitchen and by giving Laurence a few recipes for cakes. 

It was only after starting the live music and realising the success that they applied for a later licence and began the process of becoming the Magoos everyone knows today. They said that they have grown on a customer lead basis throughout the years and could not ignore the need for Henley’s patrons to clearly have a late night venue. Well done them.

In 2012, Magoos expanded, getting rid of the old flat roof, the oversized kitchen and outdoor toilets in the garden, creating The Vault. This change let them really enhance everyone’s experience in Magoos and open up the space to almost 100 more customers as well as having a private party space for other events.

Hollie Wilson, Laurence’s daughter said that opening The Vault showed them once again how much the community and people in Henley needed a venue like Magoos and instead of trying to reject the image, we embraced it and have managed to stick around, becoming the last late night bar standing. 

Magoos has been a special place for many people growing up in Henley where they have celebrated, connected and made memories. 22 Hart Street, has been a community meeting place since its conception in 1410. Although they are not certain on the exact origins of the building it is confirmed as a pub in our records from 1620.  Many people have there, got married and now have a family of their own.

“We strive to make this a community place where people connect.”