The Corney and Barrow Heritage
When Edward Bland Corney opened a shop in London's Old Broad Street in 1780, the business was very different from that of today.
There was only a limited selection of Port, Sherry and Bordeaux but these were obviously appreciated by his customers, for the business flourished.In 1838, Edward's son, Thomas, introduced his cousin, Robert Barrow, and the company name became Corney & Barrow.
In 1912 John Barrow, Robert's son, formed a Private Limited Liability Company with William Stevens as Managing Director and so the Stevens dynasty was founded. William's grandson, Keith, was Chairman until 1981. With a little help from his friends, he sold and re-bought the company within an eight year period. In 1961, Corney & Barrow was sold to United Wine Traders, subsequently known as International Distillers and Vintners and now Diageo. In 1969, when it was realised that small individual companies often did not fit into large corporate structures, the company was bought back and became, once again, Corney & Barrow Limited.
In its 199th year the company moved its offices from London's Old Broad Street to 12 Helmet Row, a beautiful old rectory off Old Street. The core business of buying and selling a wide range of wines nationwide, many of them exclusive to the company, has grown substantially in recent years. The company is particularly proud to be exclusive agents for Pétrus and other Grands Vins belonging to the Moueix family, for the incomparable Burgundy wines from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and the extraordinary Champagne Salon, perhaps the finest and certainly the most coveted champagne in the world. Corney & Barrow is also extremely active in the En Primeur or futures market.
Corney & Barrow was the first traditional wine merchant to establish a wine broking operation, matching buyers' and sellers' requirements. This division operates internationally with particular emphasis on Europe, the USA and the Far-East and is now a priority source of the best châteaux and domaines in France, vintage ports and fine and rare wines from around the world. Corney & Barrow (Broker Services) Limited was granted the Queen's Award for Export in 1998 and 1999, a unique achievement for an importing wine company.
Corney & Barrow is extremely proud to be the only wine company to hold three Royal Warrants as suppliers to HM Queen Elizabeth II, HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and HRH The Prince of Wales.
In recent years they have developed their wine bar business under the Corney & Barrow Wine Bars Limited name so that they now have a City of London estate of 13 units stretching from Canary Wharf to Fleet Place. They opened their first bar in London's West End in the summer of 1998. Modern and sophisticated, these bars offer a huge range of quality wines and an imaginative and unusual paired menu of appropriate bar food. The wine bar company received the Investor in People accreditation in January 1997.
Corney & Barrow Group Ltd is still in private hands and happy to be so. It views the future with confidence and excitement, constantly looking for ways to improve business to the advantage of its customers on whom it relies for its future prosperity.
Extract from BRITISH EXCELLENCE
Standard Publications Ltd. 2000
