History of The Cellars

Berry Bros. & Rudd can trace its origins back to 1698 when the widow Bourne founded her shop opposite St James's Palace. The Cellars date from this time and were enlarged in the 1730s. It is believed that a door, that has since been blocked, linked the cellars to St James's Palace.

Louis Napoleon (later Emperor Napoleon III of France) plotted his return to France in Berry Bros. & Rudd's cellars during his exile in the 1830s. He was a great friend of George Berry who was the first `Berry' to join the family business at 3 St James's Street.

The total size of the cellars is 8,000 square feet; equivalent to three tennis courts. They stretch from St James's Street along Pall Mall to Crown Passage.

The upper cellar, known as The Pickering Cellar, is home to Berrys' Wine School and most of our tastings and cellar events. The Napoleon Cellar is used for the grand dinners.

See what the cellars look like

Unusually, The Cellars are located on two levels and, before the renovations, were the largest working cellars in London. Part of the first level still continues to be a working cellar today and stores 100,000 bottles including the Berry and Rudd Family Wine Reserves.

The cellars can be hired for corporate and private events  and is the perfect venue for entertaining at the highest level.