Oakman Inns to invest £5.2m in Royal Foresters restoration

Oakman Inns has received planning permission from Bracknell Forest Council to undergo its biggest project yet: a £5.2m, eight-month restoration of the Royal Foresters pub in Ascot.

Work is to commence immediately, with the pub anticipated to re-open in spring 2018.

Oakman Inns' chief executive, Peter Borg-Neal, said: "This is the biggest project Oakman Inns has ever done and is incredibly important to us. Getting planning permission is a significant step in what will be a lengthy and extensive project and we will commence work immediately. The first stage will be to rehouse the bats living within the buildings and we will then need to satisfy a number of pre-commencement conditions before starting work on the demolition of the annexe buildings and the modern extensions behind the main building."

Adrian Laws (pictured), Oakman Inns' area manager, added: "My senior management team are in place and are currently being trained in other Oakman sites. We are all literally ‘champing at the bit' to get started with serving our guests."

Oakman Inns has also recently added the 19th century Walter Arms near Wokingham to its collection. Although the pub is open and trading, Oakman is expected to apply to renovate and extend the building.

Founded in 2005, Oakman Inns currently operates 19 pubs.

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