The Railway Inn in Botley is run entirely by one family and their closest friends and it shows.

Marketing manager George Blackman told the Daily Echo: "The fact that the whole family are involved in every area of the pub means it is always as good as we can possibly make it. Everyone has such a vested interest that the care and attention to detail is clear, from the front of house team to the kitchen, and this is apparent from the moment you enter.

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"Kay is the landlady (Mum), Elaine (her sister) the accountant, Rob and Alice run the kitchen (little siblings), and I take care of everything online, as well as clogged drains and such! The rest of the team is made up of close friends and loyal staff, each of which care deeply about every customer's experience when they visit.

"We don’t have outside investment, or a chain of venues to see us through, so return custom is vital to our survival, and the appreciation of people’s choice to dine with us is at the heart of our reputation.

"We acquired the pub in 2015 after our Mum (who worked for the previous owners) sold the family home to acquire the lease. What started as a small family venture with around six employees now has a team of 25 plus, another pub in the village (The Brewery Bar), as well as two outside catering trailers. We’re now proud to be considered one of the top food venues in the area."

The Railway's famous Sunday roasts go down a storm each week, consistently drawing in more than 250 customers each Sunday.

But pub classics, a big burger selection and loaded sharing plates can also be found on the menu, which is available to take away.

With four in the family, vegans are well catered for and seafood has been removed from the menu entirely to reflect the family's boycott of an industry they believe is 'riddled with human rights abuses, environmental destruction and complete apathy for the welfare of all sea animals'.

The pub's very own Village Ale is the most popular drink, but there are over 100 different drinks to choose from.

The Railway, which started life as a hotel for railways workers during the early 20th century, has a newly refurbished patio dining area on multiple levels, accompanied by a covered decking area and grass for the dogs. The plants are carefully selected and lovingly tended by the green-fingered team.

A popular delivery service which started during lockdown is to make a welcome return and the team hope their two catering trailers will help them deal with any further Covid related problems in future.

"Being closed for the best part of a year, while providing a much needed rest, has been a struggle financially,"added George.

"But each week is filled with major challenges. Every team member overcomes mountains each day, and for this we cannot thank each and every one enough."

• The Railway Inn is our pub of the week. Click on the link below if you'd like us to feature your watering hole.