It’s no mean feat, taking sole control of a busy pub at the age of 26 - but thanks to her passion for people and head for business, Georgia Brant is proving a hit at The Railway Inn in Ratby.

Georgia, now 29, became business owner of the village watering hole in August 2023 having decided to focus on one of her two passions. Previously, the qualified tutor had combined a career in education with a career running bars.

“I left school when I was 15 and did an apprenticeship in sports coaching, then taught PE at primary schools. I went on to do alternative provision, for children who had been removed from mainstream education, teaching them functional skills,” explains Georgia.

“When I was 17, I started bar work at Aylestone Park Football Club, and went on to run the bar at St Andrew’s Football Club for four years. At that point, I decided it was time to either open my own school or run my own pub. I needed one sole interest rather than two separate paths.”

Having picked pub life as the area which most appealed to her, Georgia began searching for a place to put her name above the door.

“I looked round quite a few pubs. I actually applied for The Bull’s Head up the road but didn’t get that, then I came here and as soon as I walked in, I knew it was the one.

“It’s like when you buy a house and you know it’s the one as soon as you walk in, that’s how this felt. It’s got that proper cosy, homely feeling,” she says with a smile.

According to Georgia, she only looked round pubs owned by Everards, and immediately had a good feeling about the family-run company. “They have the same ethics as me, so I knew we would work well together.”

Looking back to when she first moved to The Railway, Georgia says there was some initial reluctance from the regulars, due to her age. “I don’t look my age now, so back then I looked even younger and they all doubted me. But after a few months, I won them over and I actually had one of them say to me ‘You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to this pub’ – which was really nice.”

Since moving in, Georgia has put her own stamp on the place, with lots of signs, photos and memorabilia – including her late grandad’s old Speedway programmes – on the walls. She’s also given the outdoor area a refurbishment, with new furniture and festoon lighting enhancing its aesthetic appeal.

As well as making the place look inviting, Georgia has focused her efforts on creating a real community hub, where everyone feels welcome. She also does as much as possible for the local community, including volunteering at a nearby food bank.

The Railway is well-known for its sports offering, with matches being shown on TV and events being held in the pub. “If there’s a reason to decorate the pub, I’m all over it” laughs Georgia, who goes on to describe an event she held for the Ryder Cup - hosting mini golf games and encouraging customers to dress up as golfers.

The pub is wet-led, but a bar snack menu is available and the pub regularly hosts visits from food trucks.

Other activities include poker games every weekend, weekly quiz nights and monthly karaoke and live music nights. “We do a lot for LOROS at the minute, since their funding was cut. We do loads of raffles and we had a poker night in aid of the charity.”

Thinking about what she most enjoys about her job, Georgia says: “The people, definitely. There’s that saying – if you enjoy your job, you’ll never work a day in your life - and it’s so true.

“It’s always been hard having a pub as a single person, because there’s so much to do. What I’ve learnt is that I need to be really organised. I’d describe it as ‘organised chaos’ and I love it!”