The Bedford Estates grants Oakman Group Woburn Hotel lease
The Oakman Group are delighted to announce that they have acquired The Woburn Hotel after signing a 25-year lease with The Bedford Estates.
The Woburn Hotel, which sits at the gateway to Woburn Abbey, is a charming 18th-century property with 48 luxury bedrooms and seven individual cottages within the grounds, as well as three conference and events spaces, a restaurant and a large bar.
Easily accessed from the M1, Woburn is a hugely attractive village with a substantial level of amenity. In addition to Woburn Abbey, Woburn Safari Park and the internationally famous golf club, there is even a Centre Parcs on the Estate making it an important leisure destination.
The hotel was closed last year, due to the impact of Government restrictions, and Oakman is hoping to open the hotel on May 17 when indoor dining is permitted under the Government’s proposed hospitality roadmap. Oakman has already started the process of recruiting and are looking to create some 60 new jobs.
His Grace, the Duke of Bedford, said: “The Oakman Group has a proven track record over many years as high-quality operators. They also have a reputation as a business that builds relationships with local communities and their Chairman, Peter Borg-Neal, knows Woburn well - indeed, he used to live on the Estate. I am confident Oakman will safeguard our historic values whilst delivering a contemporary and hospitable offering of which we can all be proud.”
Peter Borg-Neal, The Oakman Group Chairman, commented: “Unsurprisingly, there was considerable interest in this wonderful property, and we are delighted and honoured that His Grace has put his trust in us. At Oakman we work with a number of Estates and we have always built strong and mutually beneficial relationships with them.”
Dermot King, Chief Executive Officer of the Oakman Group, said: “Following our acquisition of The Seafood Pub Company, this represents another major step in delivering our vision for the business. The Woburn Hotel represents a significant addition to our existing portfolio which contains many historical coaching inns and remarkable buildings. The Woburn Hotel’s history and strategic position in Bedfordshire make it a superb venue for both the leisure and business traveller.
“We now have 225 bedrooms across The Oakman Group and we will be looking to further grow our capacity. We are developing our ability to provide compelling ‘stay-cation’ packages as well as ensuring we meet the needs of business travellers. As well as all the local attractions, The Woburn Hotel has the advantage of being only twenty minutes from Luton Airport and only ten minutes from the commercial centre of Milton Keynes.”
The Woburn Hotel becomes the 34th and largest property in the Oakman Group portfolio, giving them a total of 225 bedrooms across the 13 venues which have accommodation.