Woburn hotel to reopen after acquisition by Oakman Group

The Oakman Group has acquired the lease of the Woburn hotel in Bedfordshire as it looks to capitalise on rising interest in staycations.

The pub company has signed a 25-year lease with the Bedford Estates and plans to reopen the hotel on 17 May, if restrictions allow.

The 48-bedroom hotel sits within the Woburn Estate, owned by the Duke and Duchess of Bedford, and features seven cottages within the grounds, three conference and events spaces and a large restaurant and bar.

It announced its permanent closure last July due the impact of lockdown rules. Oakman has already begun recruiting for around 60 staff ahead of the reopening.

"We now have 225 bedrooms across the Oakman Group and we will be looking to further grow our capacity," said Dermot King, chief executive of the Oakman Group.

"We are developing our ability to provide compelling ‘staycation' packages as well as ensuring we meet the needs of business travellers."

This is the latest acquisition for Oakman, which announced it had bought six former Seafood Pub Company sites out of administration earlier this month.

The group runs 34 hospitality venues with 225 bedrooms across the UK and has a further seven sites in its pipeline this year.

Oakman was founded by its executive chairman Peter Borg-Neal in 2007.