Rising stars promoted at five Bucks pubs during lockdown

The reopening of pub gardens and outdoor spaces last Monday meant a long-awaited return to work for team members at five Buckinghamshire pubs.

As part of The Oakman Group, which was awarded the Princess Royal Training Award for a second time in 2020, the pub teams were all encouraged to take part in adapted training sessions using online and Zoom formats to enable them to grow their knowledge throughout the four months of the most recent lockdown. The career development training has meant they returned to work in newly promoted roles. 

In the South of the county, at the Beech House in Amersham, Jamie Firminger has been promoted from Deputy General Manager to General Manager with Rebecca Gilbert and George Muddiman being made Assistant Managers (pictured above right).

Josef Grzesik has been promoted to Head Chef at Beech House in Beaconsfield New Town while Hanna Howard who joined the team at The Polecat Inn in Prestwood last July has become Trainee Assistant Manager (pictured right).

In Central Buckinghamshire, the General Manager at the Betsey Wynne in Swanbourne, is delighted to confirm that four of his Trainee Assistant Managers have qualified as Assistant Managers. These are Crystal Lindsell, Lydia Stimpson, Jonty Enslin and Pippa Evans.

A few miles away, at The Akeman Inn in Kingswood, Klara Jantovicsne has become Trainee Assistant Manager.

Oakman Group CEO, Dermot King, said: “It’s testament to our award-winning training and enrichment programme, and our team’s desire to continually expand their knowledge and skills, that we have been able to promote more than 40 people across 33 of our venues prior to reopening.

“Realising the potential of our team is key to our ongoing success, and we passionately believe that the people we have working for us, and their skills, knowledge and tremendous attitude, is one of the main reasons so many of our guests – both local and from further away – continue to support us.”

For further details of careers at Oakman, visit: https://www.oakmaninns.co.uk/careers