Historic Grade II pub near Bedford bought by Henley-based brewer

The pub with rooms is in George Street and was taken over by Maulden villagers, Julian and Emma Smith, in 2011. The couple bought and completely refurbished the then derelict pub which is Grade II listed.

Departing owner Emma said: “The pub was a wreck when we bought it, but we replaced everything from the plumbing, electrics and the layout, built a new car park and created a two-bed flat for a tenant.”

The George now has a light and airy public bar, restaurant with 120 covers, a private function room seating 18-24 and seven, boutique-style, en suite guest rooms – and currently has planning permission to build five additional bedrooms.

Tom Davies, Brakspear CEO said: “We are delighted to announce the acquisition of The George at Maulden. It will be a fantastic addition to our estate. We don’t have many pubs in Bedfordshire, so we are really excited to be there, especially with the proposed Universal Studios development so close by.”

Emma added: “It’s been an amazing journey, particularly as we had no previous experience in hospitality when we started out. We’ve absolutely loved every minute of our time at The George, but Julian and I are now ready to move on to our next adventure, which we’re currently deciding on.”

Brakspear is now looking for a new tenant.