Milton Keynes company recognised as one of the best employers in the UK

Milton Keynes pub company Peach, was nationally recognised at the Best Companies to Work for awards 2021.

Peach runs two Milton Keynes pubs the The Black Horse in Woburn and The Swan at Salford.

In total, the company claimed four awards from last week's virtual ceremony on Friday May 21.

The pub group received three star accreditation, one of the highest available accolades as well as ranking in three other awards categories.

Peach finished 24th in the UK's 100 Best Large Companies to Work For, and was named the ninth best employer in the East of England, the 13th in the Midlands and the 20th in the South East where it was also the best in hospitality.

The annual awards are gifted after a team-wide survey that asks for honest feedback on areas an employer is strong in, and those it needs to improve on, such as leadership, commitment to personal growth through training and development.

Peach credits its high scores to the support it provided staff during the pandemic. Like a lot of pub groups, it was forced to close its doors, during the pandemic and had to use the government's furlough scheme. It believes the work done during these lockdowns to protect the mental health and wellbeing of its chefs, front of house and support teams who were furloughed, earned the national recognition.

Peach managing director Hamish Stoddart commented: "It's our vision, we make life peachy. Ever since we started Peach twenty years ago, we've genuinely put our people first. We've always believed they are the heart of a pub and utterly central to our success.

"Shared ownership and the longevity of our team prove this. This last year, during the pandemic, we knew it was more important than ever to take good care of the team especially when the pubs were closed and the team furloughed. It was the perfect opportunity to prove it, and we did.

"We worked incredibly hard to look after the physical and mental well-being of our people especially during lockdown. We took the opportunity to reaffirm our support to our team, both financially and through keeping in close contact and volunteering together to support the towns we’re proud to be at the heart of. We have come through together, staying true to our vision of being a great place to work, learn and grow. We are delighted to be recognised as a Three Star, world-class employer."

Peach offered local support during the pandemic by launching Yourhub.pub. Through this app the group organised for furloughed members of staff to cook and deliver food to the NHS and 50 charities.

Further information on the annual Best Companies to Work for awards can be found here.