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Simon Farr's avatar

In late 1982, myself backed by ex parfumier Chris Collins open a ludicrously large enterprise called Bibendum Wine in yet to become fashionable Primrose Hill. The building Chris borrowed the money to buy was a large Art Deco garage with its own forecourt and a massive ground floor showroom we filled with wooden cases of 1st growth Bordeaux - many huge formats - and vintage port. One has to remember that this was at the tail end of what many consider the harshest recession since the Second World War. Basically the wine trade was on its knees and here were we launching a seemingly reckless venture as if none of this had happened. The rest of the wine trade was in a pretty sorry state. The point is, Jane McQuitty came to see us. She fixed Chris and I with her steady gaze and fired off the right uncompromising tough questions and to our joy and relief subsequently wrote a wonderfully piece on Bibendum which essentially launched the business for us. Jane’s endorsement in those days was the gold standard. Jane continued to be everything you say Henry, and her independence of thought and incisiveness are exactly what the consumer has valued, and the trade been ever wary of.

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Kevin R. Kosar's avatar

Well done!

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