Oakham School buys Odd House Tavern

Oakham School has bought a former pub in a development that the headmaster said was “strategically important”.

Headmaster Nigel Lashbrook confirmed the school had purchased the Odd House Tavern in Station Road, and its associated land, which backs onto the school’s music department.

Mr Lashbrook said owning the land offered the school the chance to expand its music and drama facilities, subject to the appropriate planning permission.

He said: “This is another strategically important development for the school, which comes promptly after the purchase of the police station.

“Both buildings are situated close to the heart of our campus, and therefore provide us with much needed space to use and to develop in the future.

“It is certainly an opportune time for both departments to have more space to expand, particularly given the burgeoning success of our music department – who have won a multitude of national choral accolades this year, and the continued excellence of our Drama department – who have more students than ever before winning places at top drama schools across the world.”

The school’s director of operations and strategic planning Simon Piggott said it was still “early days” but that he would “keep everyone informed of our plans”.

The school is planning to convert the ground floor of the former police station into a new medical centre, giving the medical team a more spacious and modern facilities.

The school’s new social science faculty will also open in September.