A COMPANY which runs three pubs in Oxfordshire celebrated being commended for its commitment to training and skills by Princess Anne.

Oakman Inns and Restaurants - which runs pubs in Witney, Abingdon and Wallingford - received the Princess Royal Training Award at a prestigious ceremony in St James’ Palace, London, earlier this month.

The business is one of 40 organisations, and the only pub group, to receive the award.

All 40 recipients demonstrated that training has a significant impact on productivity and business success.

Chief executive Peter Borg-Neal, who received the award from Princess Anne, said: “HR director Jill Scatchard has driven our training and career development programme and I’m so proud of her and all her team for the hard work they’ve put into it.

“We are a people business and employ an average of 40 at each of our sites. We want them to be passionate and proud of what they do and with three new openings early next year, we are committed to continuing the development of our range of skills and training schemes so that we not only produce the managers of the future but give each one of our team members an opportunity to ‘learn a living’.

“What better way to celebrate our tenth year.”

The Princess Royal Training Awards are delivered by the City and Guilds Group to highlight the value of training and employee development and celebrate examples of best practice.

Oakman Inns runs The Crown and Thistle in Abingdon, The Old Post Office in Wallingford; and Witney’s Blue Boar.