A CHAIN running three pubs and restaurants in Oxfordshire has won Royal recognition for its staff training.

Oakman Inns & Restaurants, in charge of The Crown & Thistle, Abingdon, The Old Post Office in Wallingford and The Blue Boar in Witney is among 40 recipients of The Princess Royal’s Training Award, organised by the City & Guilds Group.

The award-winning businesses, selected from a list of 116, will be honoured by Princess Anne at a ceremony due to take place this autumn.

The award recognises Oakman Inns for creating a lasting impact by successfully linking their skills development needs to business performance.

The Crown & Thistle in Bridge Street, Abingdon, a 17th century coaching inn, was given a £1.8m revamp in 2013.

Oakman’s CEO Peter Borg-Neal said: "We are thrilled to discover that we are the only pub group recognised by the Awards Commission.

"We employ an average of 40 staff at each of our sites and want them to be passionate and proud of what they do.

"Having just completed on our 20th pub, we are committed to continuing the development of our range of training schemes so that we produce the managers of the future and give each one of our team members an opportunity to learn a living."

Oakman Inns’ HR training and career development programmes were recognised earlier this year in the Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For awards, in which they were the highest-ranking hospitality company in eighth position.

Oakman Inn’s HR director Jill Scatchard, added: "This is a recognition of the time and effort that Oakman Inns has invested in creating our in-house online training academy – Oakmanology – which involves everyone.

"Its skill development modules are taken by everyone from the main board down and since we introduced it four years ago it has helped reduce our staff turnover by 43 per cent."

Each of the 116 applications were assessed against three Hallmarks of Excellence by the Princess Royal Training Awards Commission.

Now in its second year, the Princess Royal Training Awards honours employers in the UK who have created outstanding training and skills development programmes resulting in 'exceptional' commercial benefits.

The Old Post Office in Wallingford is situated in a Grade II listed building in St Martin's Street that was once home to the town’s post office.

It opened its doors as an Oakman Inn in 2009, featuring many of the original elements, including the Victorian counter.