The Three Blackbirds's new owner says she has "high hopes" for the Flamstead pub, having taken over following a previous job at the New York Met Gala.
Rebecca Levene took over the pub on June 19 after the village lost two of its three pubs, and it officially reopened to the public on June 29.
She said: "I worked in pubs before but I spent my career in corporate hospitality.
"I was head of event operations for the Tate Gallery and I lived in New York as a special events producer for the Met Gala.
"I moved home when the pandemic hit and I lost my New York job. I moved home to a sleepy village in Leicestershire.
"I got a job working as bar staff in a pub and ended up having the best summer."
Rebecca then moved to London and got the job at the Tate, but missed the sense of community from knowing everyone who comes into a village pub.
"It's all very impersonal at corporate events," she said. "It was my dream to have my own place.
"I started looking in January, saw the Three Blackbirds come up and the rest is history."
Running the pub has not been without its challenges. There was a large generator outside when the pub opened, which Rebecca had removed by the end of July.
The pub is also still without a chef - which Rebecca says makes it "really hard".
She said: "I've redone the whole back bar and had the garden redone.
"The fences have been painted and there are bin covers so people aren't looking at bins while they sit outside.
"I've built a new pergoda in the garden. I want to grass the garden and buy a swing seat - I've learnt so much DIY since I moved in."
Rebecca has already held several events at the pub, including a Mexican theme night, a Macmillan Coffee Morning with Tropic Skincare and a quiz on the second Thursday of each month.
Later in October she plans to hold a breast cancer awareness event.
She said: "Since I’ve got no chef I’ve been doing food trucks. I’m showing all the rugby."
After both the Three Blackbirds and the Spotted Dog in the village closed, Rebecca said the village has rallied around the reopened pub.
She said: "The village has been so welcoming and so supportive.
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"People come in to show support and help keep the pub open. It’s hard work but in the best possible way.
"I want it to be a place where people come for the coffee mornings and there's a different crowd after work and in the evenings - for young and old alike.
"Somewhere everyone can enjoy and knows where they can get a great drink and a warm welcome.
"I have high hopes. I want to get a chef and to be the beautiful, traditional country pub that the village needs and deserves."
The Three Blackbirds is in High Street. For more information visit https://www.threeblackbirdsflamstead.uk/.
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