Oakman Inns is pleased to announce that their flagship venue, The Royal Foresters in Ascot, which re-opened last year following a £multimillion redesign, has been nominated for The AJ Retrofit 2019 awards in the Hospitality, Retail and Leisure sector.
These prestigious Architects’ Journal awards are a celebration of the design, engineering and construction excellence that prolongs and improves the life of the built environment. They are judged by some of architecture’s most creative and talented leaders and innovators and will be announced at a ceremony at The Brewery London on 11 September 2019.
The nomination was submitted by Gollifer Langston Architects whose design, on behalf of Oakman Inns & Restaurants, delivered a first class, and instantly popular, venue serving a wide, local community. Features include a contemporary, 160-cover restaurant with an open theatre-style kitchen and wood-fired pizza oven juxtaposed with a refurbished, traditional bar area with open fires and cosy seating. In addition, there is a flexible function room, newly landscaped terrace and gardens plus a hotel wing with 24 luxury bedrooms constructed with cross-laminated timber and parking for in excess of 90 cars with electric charging points.
This is the first architectural nomination for Gollifer Langston in the hospitality sector and recognises their skilful interpretation of Oakman's brief to create an open, light, sustainable and relaxing environment in which to work, rest and play. Andy Gollifer, Founding Director of Gollifer Langston, commented:
“We are delighted that the Royal Foresters has been shortlisted for the AJ Retrofit Awards. We are pleased to see this landmark Inn re-established as a destination, restaurant & meeting place in the local area. It is fantastic that the public have had such positive reaction to Oakman’s new enterprising venue, a hallmark of Oakman’s diverse portfolio.
“The project blends the restoration of the historic Inn, which is packed with character, with the reimagined modern hotel areas. The Foresters sees a bold and eclectic mix of materials used in a sequence of spaces from the original flagstone floor to the exposed cross laminated timber of the newly formed hotel wings. The success of this project was made possible by Oakman’s commitment to high quality design in their search to create truly flexible and enjoyable spaces that can cater for a variety of events and special occasions.”
Malcolm Schooling, Oakman's Property Director, added: "I am delighted for the recognition and compliment the industry has paid Gollifer Langston. The Royal Foresters is Oakman Inns’ largest investment to date and locals have certainly embraced their revitalised pub and restaurant. The bespoke hotel rooms are popular with national and international visitors looking to take in the many famous tourist and sporting attractions in both Berkshire and Surrey. These include, for example, Ascot Racecourse, Windsor Castle, LEGOLAND, RHS Wisley and some of the UK’s finest golf courses.”
The Royal Foresters was also nominated for Best New Pub at the Publican Awards earlier this year.
A: London Road, Ascot, SL5 8DR | T: 01344 596480
W: www.theroyalforesters.co.uk | Insta: /theroyalforesters | FB: /theroyalforesters
About Oakman Inns:
The company was founded by entrepreneur and its CEO, Peter Borg-Neal, in 2007 when he opened The Akeman in Tring which quickly won an award for outstanding design and conservation work with which the pub group has become synonymous.
The multiple award-winning company established the new concept of the ‘modern public house’ and has successfully transformed both historical and modern buildings into contemporary spaces that have a strong sense of identity and integration within the local communities they serve. Offering a high standard of food, drink and service, the ‘Oakman Collection’ comprises 24 distinctive all-day establishments across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, Warwickshire and the West Midlands.
In February 2019, Oakman Inns retained its top 25 position in the prestigious Sunday Times 100 Best 100 Companies to Work For. In 2017, Peter Borg-Neal was named Business Leader of the Year at the Publican Awards, an honour voted for by industry executives, and, in 2018 he was awarded a prestigious CATEY for his services to the Pub and Bar industry. www.oakmaninns.co.uk.
About Gollifer Langston Architects:
Gollifer Langston Architects was established in 2002. Based in central London, the studio designs buildings that are coherent, sustainable, versatile, purposeful and with a strong sense of belonging to their location – their genius loci. As a culture we can find it easy to separate ourselves and create barriers. Developing buildings that encourage use and promote interaction is vital. We are interested in creating buildings and spaces that communicate directly, that engage their users and the wider public, revealing and extending the dialogue that is central to design.
We focus on placemaking, using the unique context of a project to help determine an appropriate response. Our aim is for buildings that are rooted in a locale are designed to communicate in an open and straightforward way, having a positive and lasting influence on their surroundings. www.golliferlangston.co.uk.
See VIDEO
CONFERENCE VENUE
Suitable for a variety of corporate needs, the function room at The Royal Foresters is a characterful alternative to your classic corporate meeting space. Floor to ceiling windows allow plenty of natural light into the room, the flexible space seats up to 60 guests and is suitable for a variety of events, from business meetings to board meetings and networking to conferences. With business grade super-fast WiFi throughout, the room is fully equipped with a screen and projector.
Conveniently located in the heart of Ascot and just a short drive from the racecourse, The Royal Foresters has good connections to both London and the South West. Only 15 minutes from Windsor and just 5 miles from junction 3 of the M3 and 10 miles for junction 6 of the M4.
The Royal Foresters boasts 24 beautiful hotel rooms, each with bespoke, contemporary interiors for those guests requiring accommodation.