Oakman to the rescue in the Archers

Fans of the Archers will have been following the challenges faced by the show’s fictional upmarket hotel Grey Gables. The business has been hammered by the pandemic and new owners have stepped in, closed the hotel and made all the staff redundant.

However, the Oakman Group, which runs 37 sites across the UK, spotted the opportunity to raise a flag to the sector’s ongoing challenges, and has launched an advertising campaign offering the entire Grey Gables workforce “real-life careers” in hospitality and jobs the staff “can’t be written out of”!

Peter Borg-Neal, chairman of the Oakman Group, said: “Art, in this case, is imitating life. So many companies have suffered during the pandemic. I'm no Archers expert, but when we heard about the plight of the Grey Gables’ staff, I knew we had to help and offer not only a new career – but one with no danger of being written out of the script.

“I know how tough it has been since March 2020, but unlike Grey Gables, we retained over 90% of our 1400-strong team who wanted to remain with us. I sympathise with Oliver Sterling having to sell his beloved Grey Gables. 

“Unfortunately, much of our industry's hardships are due to a tsunami of government meddling in the working world. Brexit has blighted hospitality, the stupidity of Government policies in business rates and VAT, and the many ineffectual, unproven and, in some cases, downright lunatic health measures, that ruined many businesses. 

“Luckily for Roy Tucker, Freddie Pargetter, Tracy Horrobin, Lynda Snell and the rest of the redundant Grey Gables team, the Oakman Group needs you!”

As to whether Oakman would be putting in a bid to buy Grey Gables, Peter added: ““Properties of the quality of Grey Cables will always be of interest to us. Unfortunately, we were not aware that it was on the market and, accordingly, not able to make an offer at the time. 

“However, we have made an acquisition this week and will be releasing further details [shortly].” 

Whether any of the Grey Gables team have taken the company up on the offer remains to be seen!