When the first Oakman Inn opened its doors in 2007, the vision behind it was simple: to create the perfect environment to come and enjoy great food and drink whilst catching up with friends, family, neighbours, and colleagues.

Founded by entrepreneur Peter Borg-Neal, our company established a new concept of the ‘modern public house’ by successfully transforming both historic and modern buildings into contemporary spaces that have a strong sense of identity and integration within the local communities they serve. 

We apply that same level of care and attention to detail to the provenance of our food and drink, and using only the finest high-quality ingredients that are traceable and responsibly sourced, we are proud to serve Mediterranean-inspired dishes cooked in wood-fired ovens and on charcoal grills using traditional cooking techniques.

Our passion for quality food, inspiring design, and careful conservation has continued to grow – and we are honoured to have had that philosophy recognised with numerous awards and accolades. We know what it takes to deliver a memorable experience, and that’s why you’ll always find yourself at home in each of our Oakman Inns.

We are proud to have embarked on the road to Net Zero, monitoring and reducing our carbon emissions.  We aim to do what’s right: source good food and drinks, provide fantastic hospitality and customer experience – all whilst taking care of our community and the wider environment.

Animal welfare plays a large part in that approach, and we partner with butchers who source their meat from farmers who care for their animals and have strong welfare policies.  The fish on our menu comes from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) approved suppliers making it traceable from ocean to plate, and our greengrocer, Reynolds, take environmental responsibility seriously, which includes operating a reusable crate scheme. 

During our partnership with Tree-Nation, we planted well in excess of 1.5 million trees.  Tree Nation are a not-for-profit organisation who support and protect biodiversity through reforestation and conservation projects across the world.

 We take pride in our commitment to the environment.  From the care and attention in which we convert our many historic buildings, to continually striving for reduced wastage, increased recycling and improved energy efficiency.  

Our commitment to great food and even better service has earned Oakman Inns & Restaurants many awards. This includes multiple awards from The Publican’s including ‘Best New Site, ‘Best Employer’ and ‘Best Community Pub Operator’.  We have also been rewarded The Princess Royal Training award twice, which honours and recognises employers who invest in training their teams.  Alongside this we have also won Best Training Programme at the BII NITA awards. 

Support is something we’re very familiar with at Oakman Inns as we understand that our greatest resource are the people who form our Oakman family. We’re delighted to say that approach is why we continue to be part of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work.

From humble beginnings as a 16-year old cellar boy in Reading, Berkshire, to Founder and Chairman of one of the most unique brands in hospitality, Peter Borg-Neal has spent the past 40 years working in every aspect of the pub trade from the front lines, to managerial. This experience has given Peter clear insight into what it means to work at an Oakman Inn, and how each decision is ultimately reflected in the customer experience. It is that experience that’s driven Peter to deliver and maintain an offering that brings local communities together under one roof to enjoy great food and drink, and even better service.

A personal mantra that has offered some guidance over the years is ‘See. Think. Act.’ This simple quote dates back to when Peter was a trustee of the National Autistic Society, and the former chairman, the late Tony Kay, told him that those three words were the only three things in management he would ever need. Whilst not taking it literally, this approach has certainly helped to shape Oakman Inns & Restaurants into an award-winning company and employer with more than 1500 team members and 35 properties throughout England.