H.R. Owen
Encyclopedia
H.R. Owen is Britain's leading luxury motor dealer, and the world's largest retailer in Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Lamborghini and Bugatti brands.
, and served in the Royal Flying Corps
in World War I
. Captain Owen was badly injured in a crash, aged 18, in Northern France. Returning to England to convalesce, he joined the motor trade alongside Jack Barclay, establishing his own business H.R. Owen at 17 Berkeley Street, London, in 1932. The business was purposefully closed at the start of World War II
, and sold by the family after Owen died while on tank manouveres in 1940, aged 41.
Bought by fellow Yorkshire man Frank Swain, he reopened the business in 1946 on the old location in Berkeley Street. Swain began to build a complete motor vehicle business, buying up both fellow retailers as well as motor vehicle builders and suppliers. On the death of A.J. Webb in 1955, Swain bought coach builder Freestone and Webb
. This was the same year as the introduction of the Bentley S1
/Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud
, neither of which came as a chassis only option. With its main chassis supplier relationship now ended, it continued to refurbish and build bodies until 1958, when it became a pure showroom brand. In 1963, after Swain decided to divest itself of its coach building arm and focus just on motor retail, it sold the entire division under the main brand of coachbuilders Harold Radford
to a group led by Harold Radford.
In 1970, H.R. Owen was sold to Gerald Ronson
's Heron International
.
In 2000 the group bought Jack Barclay, becoming the world's largest Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor dealer. After the split of the brands at manufacturer level between Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
(bought by BMW Group), and Bentley (Volkswagen Group
), H.R. Owen retains Rolls-Royce retailing, while it moved Bentley retail to the Jack Barclay in Park Lane
.
In 2004, the company sold its Volkswagen and the majority of its BMW brand dealerships to their respective manufacturers. In the same year, H.R. Owen became the official dealer for London MPH at Earls Court
.
Appointed official UK dealer for Bugatti in 2005, by 2008 H.R. Owen became the world's largest Bugatti dealer. The company is quoted on the London Stock Exchange under the securities code HRO.L
On 1 August 2011, HR Owen announced the acquisition of Broughtons of Cheltenham, a smaller luxury motor dealer, for an enterprise value of £2.8 million. Broughtons owns three Bentley franchises in Cheltenham, Pangbourne and Byfleet (strengtheing HR Owen's relationship with Bentley) and an Aston Martin franchise in Cheltenham, forging a relationship between HR Owen and Aston Martin for the first time.
Background
Harold Rolfe Owen was born in YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, and served in the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Captain Owen was badly injured in a crash, aged 18, in Northern France. Returning to England to convalesce, he joined the motor trade alongside Jack Barclay, establishing his own business H.R. Owen at 17 Berkeley Street, London, in 1932. The business was purposefully closed at the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and sold by the family after Owen died while on tank manouveres in 1940, aged 41.
Bought by fellow Yorkshire man Frank Swain, he reopened the business in 1946 on the old location in Berkeley Street. Swain began to build a complete motor vehicle business, buying up both fellow retailers as well as motor vehicle builders and suppliers. On the death of A.J. Webb in 1955, Swain bought coach builder Freestone and Webb
Freestone and Webb
Freestone and Webb were an English coachbuilder, most notably for Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor cars.The company was formed in 1923 by V.E. Freestone and A.J. Webb as a specialist coachbuilding service, based in workshops in Brentfield Road, Willesden, North London, which became its home for its...
. This was the same year as the introduction of the Bentley S1
Bentley S1
The Bentley S was a luxury car produced by Bentley Motors Limited from 1955 until 1959.Bentley 's first true complete redesign of their standard production car after World War II and their last standard production car with an independent chassis.These cars were given a new V8 engine in late 1959,...
/Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud
Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud
The Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud was the core model of the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars range from April 1955 until March 1966. It replaced the Silver Dawn and was, in turn, replaced by the Silver Shadow.The J. P...
, neither of which came as a chassis only option. With its main chassis supplier relationship now ended, it continued to refurbish and build bodies until 1958, when it became a pure showroom brand. In 1963, after Swain decided to divest itself of its coach building arm and focus just on motor retail, it sold the entire division under the main brand of coachbuilders Harold Radford
Harold Radford
Harold Radford & Co Limited of Melton Court, South Kensington, London SW7, were bespoke coachbuilders. The business began in the late 1940s making relatively minor changes to bodywork for owners of new Bentleys, amendments to suit the rural lifestyle of the landed gentry...
to a group led by Harold Radford.
In 1970, H.R. Owen was sold to Gerald Ronson
Gerald Ronson
Gerald Maurice Ronson is a British business tycoon and philanthropist.-Career:Aged 15, Ronson left school and joined his father in the family furniture business, named Heron after his father Henry. The company expanded into other activities; in the mid-1960s Ronson brought the first self-service...
's Heron International
Heron International
Heron International is a United Kingdom based property development company. Founded by the Ronson family as a furniture retailer, it came to prominence in the 1980s as the UK's largest operator of self-service petrol stations...
.
Malaya Group
Aged 21, Nicholas Lancaster set up his own motor retail group. Sold in 1992 to Jardine Matheson, in 1994 he set up Malaya Group plc, which bought H.R. Owen. In 1997, one the 65th anniversary of H.R. Owen's foundation, Malaya Group changed its name to H.R. Owen plc.In 2000 the group bought Jack Barclay, becoming the world's largest Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor dealer. After the split of the brands at manufacturer level between Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is a British manufacturer of luxury automobiles based at the Goodwood plant in West Sussex, England. It is the current producer of Rolls-Royce branded automobiles, whose historical production dates back to 1904. The factory is located across from the historic Goodwood Circuit...
(bought by BMW Group), and Bentley (Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group is a German multinational automobile manufacturing group. , Volkswagen was ranked as the world’s third largest motor vehicle manufacturer and Europe's largest....
), H.R. Owen retains Rolls-Royce retailing, while it moved Bentley retail to the Jack Barclay in Park Lane
Park Lane
Park Lane may refer to:*Park Lane , an investment bank in Los Angeles, California*Park Lane , a road in London, UK*Park Lane , a shopping mall in Halifax, Nova Scotia*Park Lane , a rugby stadium in Greater Manchester, UK...
.
In 2004, the company sold its Volkswagen and the majority of its BMW brand dealerships to their respective manufacturers. In the same year, H.R. Owen became the official dealer for London MPH at Earls Court
Earls Court
Earls Court is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It is an inner-city district centred on Earl's Court Road and surrounding streets, located 3.1 miles west south-west of Charing Cross. It borders the sub-districts of South Kensington to the East, West...
.
Appointed official UK dealer for Bugatti in 2005, by 2008 H.R. Owen became the world's largest Bugatti dealer. The company is quoted on the London Stock Exchange under the securities code HRO.L
Today
Andy Duncan, the former CEO of Channel 4, became CEO of HR Owen in September 2010, and announced a new growth strategy in May 2011. The company set out its ambition to offer the world's best all-round luxury car experience to its clients. One of the first steps in this strategy was the opening of a flagship Ferrari 'Atelier' in London's Knightsbridge, in the Berkeley Hotel, as part of a new alliance with Ferrari. At this centre, potential customers can customise their new Ferrari with the instructions being sent directly to Ferrari's factory in Maranello. The company also signalled that it was willing to look at suitable acquisitions in the luxury car industry.On 1 August 2011, HR Owen announced the acquisition of Broughtons of Cheltenham, a smaller luxury motor dealer, for an enterprise value of £2.8 million. Broughtons owns three Bentley franchises in Cheltenham, Pangbourne and Byfleet (strengtheing HR Owen's relationship with Bentley) and an Aston Martin franchise in Cheltenham, forging a relationship between HR Owen and Aston Martin for the first time.