Bentalls

Bentalls was established in 1867 by Frank Bentall who purchased a drapery shop in Kingston upon Thames. The principal buildings of the Kingston store were completed in 1935 to a design by architect Maurice Webb (son of Sir Aston Webb) and inspired by Wren's design for Hampton Court. The fine stonework on the façade was the work of Eric Gill. Between 1935 and 1976 it was the UK's largest department store outside central London.

The company was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1946, but the Bentall family retained a controlling interest.

Bentalls established their first branch store in 1947 when the Worthing department store of Bentall & Sons{{cite web|url=http://www.westsussexpast.org/pictures/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=PP%2fWSL%2fWGP000653&pos=3|title=PP/WSL/WGP000653 Bentall and Company, South Street, Worthing|website=West Sussex Past|access-date=27 July 2021}} was acquired from family cousins who had decided to retire.

The Worthing business was significantly extended with the purchase of the Jordan & Cook furniture store in later years.

The Ealing department store of Eldred Sayers & Son was acquired in 1950. Mary Lee of Tunbridge Wells was purchased a decade later.

Rowan Bentall, grandson of founder Frank Bentall, became chairman in 1968. Under his ten-year stewardship the group's turnover more than doubled from £14.5 million to £35.1 million.{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-rowan-bentall-1488052.html|title = Obituary: Rowan Bentall|website = Independent.co.uk|date = 29 July 1993}} Developments during this time included the opening of a new purpose-built department store at Bracknell in 1973.

Further profitable stores were later opened in Tonbridge (1982) and Lakeside (1995).

{{Main|Bentall Centre, Kingston upon Thames}}

In 1987, work began on a major shopping centre development in Kingston, in collaboration with Norwich Union.{{Cite web|date=1987|title=The New Bentall Centre|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/127060723@N05/albums/72157648490620998|url-status=live|access-date=12 August 2021|website=Flickr|publisher=Bentalls|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812144820/https://www.flickr.com/photos/127060723@N05/albums/72157648490620998 |archive-date=12 August 2021 }} The present Bentalls department store opened in July 1990, with the adjoining shopping centre completed in November 1992.{{cite news|last=Peacock|first=Grenville|date=30 July 1993|title=Obituary: Rowan Bentall|newspaper=The Independent|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-rowan-bentall-1488052.html|accessdate=26 April 2014}} The principal facade and main entrance vestibule of the 1935 building were retained as part of the development and listed at Grade II in 2011.

The company made a substantial investment in 1998 to open a large department store in Bristol, purchasing the recently vacated premises of John Lewis and completely refurbishing it.

The group's first foray into the south-west of England was ill-fated, however, with the outlet failing to turn a profit and proving to be a financial drain on the wider business. It was closed within two years.

In 2000, the chain rejected a £27 million offer from competitor Allders. In January 2001, the loss-making Bristol store was sold to House of Fraser for £16.35 million.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2001/mar/31/10 |work=The Guardian |date=31 March 2001 |first=Julia |last=Snoddy |title=At this price? Bentalls}}

In June of that year, the family-owned rival department store chain Fenwick purchased Bentalls for £70.8 million. The Bentall family's shareholding at the time was 38%, with Frank Bentall's great-grandson Edward Bentall being the chairman. The company's turnover was £108.2 million,{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2001/jun/29/1 |work=The Guardian |date=29 June 2001 |first=Andrew |last=Clark |title=Families tie in Fenwicks' £70m deal with Bentalls}} trading across six department stores.

Fenwick subsequently sold the Lakeside store to Allders and the leases of the Bentalls sites in Ealing, Tonbridge and Worthing to the Bournemouth-based Beales group.{{cite web |title=Allders PLC Acquisition of New Store |url=https://www.investegate.co.uk/allders-plc---122-/rns/acquisition-of-new-store/200205011216243698V/ |website=Investegate |accessdate=26 May 2020 |language=en |date=1 May 2002 |archive-date=1 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701073726/https://www.investegate.co.uk/allders-plc---122-/rns/acquisition-of-new-store/200205011216243698V/ |url-status=dead }} The successful stores in Kingston upon Thames and Bracknell were retained. The Bracknell branch was replaced in September 2017 by a new Fenwick store as part of The Lexicon development.

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• Bracknell (opened 1973; closed 2017 to coincide with the opening a new Fenwick store in the town)
• Bristol (opened 1998 in premises previously occupied by John Lewis, originally by Lewis's; sold to House of Fraser in 2001)
• Chatham (formerly Edward Bates, acquired 1979; closed 1984)
• Ealing (formerly Eldred Sayers & Son, acquired 1950; sold to Beales in 2002)
• Kingston upon Thames (founded 1867; present department store building opened 1990, Bentall Centre completed 1992, renamed Fenwick, 2023)
• Lakeside (opened 1992 in premises previously occupied by Lewis's; sold to Allders in 2001)
• Tonbridge (opened 1982; sold to Beales in 2002)
• Tunbridge Wells (formerly Mary Lee, acquired 1960; closed 29 July 1995){{cite book |last1=Berry |first1=Aidan |title=Financial Accounting: An Introduction |date=1999 |publisher=Cengage Learning EMEA |isbn=978-1-86152-479-9 |page=32 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mMLb1aLibDQC |accessdate=27 May 2020 |language=en}}
• Worthing (formerly Bentall & Sons, acquired 1947; sold to Beales in 2002){{cite news|url=https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/5136570|title=Bentalls department store sold|newspaper=The Argus|date=1 February 2002}}

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Singer Dusty Springfield once worked at Bentalls in Ealing and singer Petula Clark gave her first public performance as a child at Bentalls in Kingston upon Thames.

Bentalls is mentioned by the character Chubb in the Anthony Blunt episode (A Question of Attribution) of the stage play Single Spies by Alan Bennett.

Bentalls features in the Ladybird Books People at Work series, appearing in In A Big Store. The Wood Street entrance is also illustrated in The Police, as part of a night time scene where two police constables are arresting suspected burglars.

File:Bentalls Delivery Lorry.jpg|A Bentalls delivery lorry in Kingston upon Thames

File:Bentalls - geograph.org.uk - 819838.jpg|Bentalls' 1935 facade inspired by Hampton Court Palace

{{Infobox COA wide

|escutcheon = Or a lion rampant queue fourchee Azure ducally crowned Or and on a chief Azure a salmon naiant Argent finned Gules.

|crest = On a wreath Or and Vert a leopard statant Argent pellety flying from a crown about the neck Or a scarf parted Or and Vert.

|motto = To Strive To Seek To Serve

|notes = Granted 10 May 1967{{cite web|url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/wiki/Bentalls_Limited |publisher=Heraldry of the World |accessdate=18 March 2022 |title=Bentalls Limited}}}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.fenwick.co.uk/stores/kingston Bentalls]

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Category:Department stores of the United Kingdom

Category:Buildings and structures in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

Category:History of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

Category:Tourist attractions in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

Category:Companies formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange