BUY WINE BOOK NOW OUR STORY For 150 years, our passion has been for great food, service and above all, wine. Founded in 1870, we remain a fully independent, family business, which now spans five generations… FE DAVY – 1ST GENERATION Our story begins in 1870 when Francis Edwin Davy opened the Rising Sun just off Strand. Known as a “wine house”, it opened at a time when the area around Strand and Charing Cross was changing fast with pubs and theatres – and our wine house – springing up to cater for customers arriving via the new railway station. The Rising Sun thrived so more establishments soon followed. The wine merchants’ side of the business grew quickly too, with sales particularly strong to upmarket, West End hotels. A new headquarters and warehouse was established in Barking, East London, to cater for the demand. In 1902, F.E. Davy introduced our first own-label wines. 150 years later, they remain the cornerstone of our range, much-loved by our customers and representing our view on how the best wines of each region should taste. JHH DAVY – 2ND GENERATION This was a challenging period in the company’s history, not least with World War I, between 1914-1918 and the General Strike in 1926. J.H.H. Davy kept his focus on the company’s core values of quality wine and service and Davy’s continued to prosper. It was during this time that Davy’s established a reputation as major shippers of Port, which remains strong to this day, with a wide range and many old vintages available from the Wine Merchants. SJE DAVY – 3RD GENERATION Times were no less difficult for S.J.E. Davy who led the company through World War II. Customers had to bring their own glasses and a number of premises were lost during the Blitz, which led to openings outside London, such as the purchase of the White Hart Hotel in Exeter in 1943, which was run by Davy’s for 57 years before being leased to another operator. Back in London, the spirit of “Keep Calm and Carry On” ran through the business, as illustrated in this photograph showing a lady cleaning the front step of The Alfred’s Head, a Davy’s wine house at 140 Newington Causeway, while men repair bomb damage just outside. In addition to the wine houses, the wine merchants and shops continued to develop, and a small agency business was started. JSV DAVY – 4TH GENERATION 1964 saw the birth of what would become the UK wine bar phenomenon, thanks to 4th generation chairman, John Davy. He recognised the country’s growing interest in wine and opened The Boot & Flogger near London Bridge, cleverly using the Vintners’ Privilege to get around the all-powerful breweries who tried to stop him obtaining a license. Offering a wide selection of fine wines served by the glass, accompanied by a selection of quality food such as cold cuts of meat and fish, patés, and cheeses, it quickly became a fashionable destination for food and wine lovers. The Wine Merchants business continued to grow and in the late 1960’s larger premises were needed. The Company’s Cellars and offices moved from Barking to Greenwich where it remains today. Wine shops were sold during the 1970s to allow the company to focus on the wine bar business which was growing at pace. The majority of the new openings were in and around the City, but in 1980, Davy’s opened in the newly refurbished Covent Garden. Customers queued out of the door to enjoy a glass of Davy’s wine in an area that was in the global media spotlight. The wine bar and restaurant scene evolved dramatically through the 1990s and despite ever-growing competition, expansion continued as the Davy’s offer of simple quality fayre with good wine and excellent service remained very much in demand. JAMES DAVY – 5TH GENERATION With a strong Wine Bar business spanning from Greenwich in the East to St. James’s in the West, attention returned to developing the Wine Merchants side of the business, which had been focused on supplying Davy’s Wine Bars for over 30 years. The late 1990s saw the first forays into online retail with direct sales and a private cellars division offering en primeur and fine wine sales to leading blue chip institutions. The wholesale operation expanded too, firstly through the acquisition of established Wine & Spirit Merchant, Mayor Sworder. Wholesale operations have continued to grow with Davy’s now supplying both some of the most established and exciting up and coming restaurants and bars in London. In 2015, Davy’s purchased the famous Fleet Street-based wine merchants, El Vino. There are now five El Vino Wine & Tapas Bars, which are flourishing with a revamped wine list focusing on Spain, Portugal and South America with full-flavoured tapas to enjoy with it. Today, Davy’s remains one of London’s oldest family wine merchants and operators of wine bars, maintaining the family values of excellent wine, quality food and outstanding service which have stood for 150 years. DISCOVER DAVY'S PERFECT PAIRINGS OUR FOOD AND WINE Discover our range of menus made using seasonal and, wherever possible, locally sourced ingredients – all perfectly paired with a range of wines from Davy’s Wine Merchants, selected by James Davy and the wine buying team. FIND OUT MORE WINE BARS AND RESTAURANTS OUR LOCATIONS Discover our wine bars and restaurants across London, with over 19 locations to explore there is a venue perfect for every occasion, whether it’s catching up over lunch and dinner or a private party or celebration. EXPLORE OUR LOCATIONS STAY UP TO DATE Be the first to find out about our latest news, seasonal menus, tastings, special offers and more. Sign up to our newsletter here. Title Mr Mrs Ms Miss Dr Prof First name Last name Date of Birth (optional) Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY Email Please keep me up to date with the latest news from Please select your favourite Davy’s Wine Bar from the drop-down list below, or opt for general updates. Davy’s Wine Bars news round-up Champagne Charlies Davy's at Plantation Place Davy's at St James Davy's Wine Vaults Grapeshots Tapster The Boot and Flogger The Bunghole Cellars The Crusting Pipe The Factory House The Heeltap The Mughouse Truckles of Pied Bull Yard * I confirm that I am over the age of 18 and I consent to Davy's processing my personal data in order to send personalised marketing material in accordance with the privacy policy. OUR STORY WORK WITH US SUSTAINABILITY CHARITY WORK MODERN SLAVERY POLICY PRIVACY POLICY TERMS AND CONDITIONS CONTACT US Copyright © Davy & Co Limited 2008–2021. Davy & Co Limited. Registered in England: 129564. VAT number: 206 0019 24. Davy's of London (Wine Merchants) Limited. Registered in England: 963147. Mullins & Westley Ltd. Registered in England: 380261. Website design & build by Thinking Juice