Oakman Inns and Restaurants enters administration

Oakman Inns and Restaurants and Oakman Dev have filed for administration.

Pub operator Upham Inns also acquired 14 pubs from Oakman as the administration came into effect on 21 July, doubling its current estate.

Ross Connock, Mark James Tobias Banfield and Tom Crookham of PwC have been appointed as Oakman’s joint administrators

Kevin Todd, executive chairman of Upham Inns, said: “We have been long-term admirers of the Oakman Inns pub estate and the quality of their team and their offer, ever since Peter Borg-Neal founded the group back in 2007.

“We look forward to welcoming the new team into our family and working together to create an exciting premium pub group, now with 28 fabulous locations. Upham Inns are currently in southern locations, and this deal extends our coverage into the Midlands and the south-east.”

Upham Inns is a collection of countryside inns in Hampshire, Winchester, Warminster and Ascot.

The Oakman Group was founded by Peter Borg-Neal, who opened its first pub, the Akeman in Tring, in 2007. It operates around 30 rural and suburban pubs and hotels across England and employs more than 1,600 people.

In May, following speculation of a sale, Oakman disposed of 10 freehold pubs to the Restaurant Group’s Brunning & Price in a deal believed to be worth “somewhere between £50m and £100m”, according to Sky News.

In February 2024 Oakman relinquished its management contract of the Seafood Pub Company, the chain it saved from administration in 2021.

Last November, it sold two of its pubs to McMullen’s amid plans for fresh investment following a review of its strategic options.

Oakman has been contacted for comment.