Every week we love to shine the spotlight on some of the best local venues that the borough has to offer, in our Pub of the Week feature.

This week we spoke to the new landlord of The Railway pub, Gino Marone to see how he is getting on since taking over, following a fire which forced the pub to close.

Name of the pub:

The Railway

Address of the pub:

37 Chapletown Road, Bromley Cross, BL7 9LY

The Bolton News: Landlord/landlady name:

Gino Marone

How long have you been the landlord/landlady for? And how are you finding it?

I have been the landlord since November 17, and it’s been going really well, and taking over has been really exciting. We have been really busy since reopening, and it’s been really good to get involved with the community. I am looking forward to the summer months.

Give us some history about the pub:

The pub is over a hundred years old. The pub got rebuilt just before Covid, and the previous owner spent about £800k to £900k on it. The pub still has its character, which is very quirky really. The pub had been boarded up for a number of years and was previously known to locals as an ‘eyesore’.

The Bolton News: Is food served? If so, please describe it or if there are plans to in the future.

We have a number of new menus, including small plates, with a deal from Monday to Thursday where people can get two selected meals for £16. We also do Fishy Fridays for £11, including a drink. We do a grill menu and provide high quality, traditional pub food, which is good value for money.

Is there a beer garden? Please describe

We have a large beer garden, and it probably seats over one hundred people. There is a spacious carpark, and a bench area, which has been nicely decorated with planters fitted. There is also a nice view of the railway, with really good access to it. We get a lot of commuters with people travelling from Manchester. It’s great for people to come in for coffee if they are delayed, or if people want to work in here, they can. We offer free coffee refills, so there are quite a lot of options.

The Bolton News: What is the most popular drink served and why?

All our wine range is pretty popular, including Prosecco, which is very popular. Birra Moretti, and Beavertown Neck Oil IPA is also well-liked. In terms of Moretti, it’s just the best-selling beer on the market. Neck Oil is a very nice IPA product, which people like the taste of.

What is the most memorable moment at the pub?

The total turnover we produced in December in our category for Star Pubs & Bars.

The Bolton News:

Do you have an entertainment line-up?

Every Saturday we do live music from soloists to duos, and bands. Every Wednesday we do a quiz night, and we do an open mic night once a month, and a book club once a month as well. Tonight, we also have a comedy night, with performances from Maura Jackson, Dom Hutchins, Sarah J-H.

The Bolton News: What are the biggest challenges you are facing and how can you overcome them?

We have hit the ground running, and we have not got a lot of challenges right now. We are in a very good area, and it’s a great pub, and with our offering it’s pretty positive. We also just got our five-star hygiene rating recently.

The Bolton News: What is the best thing about running a pub and why?

Meeting different people and being part of the community. And also, not having far to walk when you have had a drink.

What is the worst thing about running a pub and why?

It takes a lot of time, energy, and dedication to run a successful pub, so you don’t get a lot of free time. It’s a lifestyle, not a job.

What bonus things are offered at the pub? Please explain.

We have Sky Sports and BT Sport, which the venue never had for many years, so it was a pretty big addition. We have made it more of a community pub rather than a restaurant feel, like it used to have as a gastro style pub. We want it to be people’s local where they come for a drink and a chat, and where it’s more informal. People have said that it should have been like this years ago.

If you have a story and something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at jasmine.jackson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @JournoJasmine.