| Administrative History | Incorporated 29 March 1963 as Beverage Investments Limited (BI), it became the holding company for four wholly-owned trading subsidiaries in March 1963: Bouchard Aine Ltd, B M & J Strauss Ltd, The Stainer Cellar Co Ltd, and T & W Cheetham (Minerals) Ltd. On 29 June 1963, (BI) took the name Allied Vintners Investments Limited (AVI).
Cowburns & Scotts (Beverages) Ltd, incorporated 23 March 1936, acquired the share capital for AVI in August 1964. As a result, on 1 December 1964, BI reverted to its original name and Cowburns & Scotts changed its name to AVI.
AVI's subsidiary companies were significant traders in their own right. Bouchard Aine Ltd, founded in 1750, was incorporated in Britain in 1926. The company traded as wine importers and distributors, and in 1962 acquired the share capital of B M & J Strauss Ltd. This company, founded in 1881, was a wholesale wine purchaser. The Stainer Cellar Co Ltd was formed to handle, bottle, store and deliver all wines for both Bouchard Aine and B M & J Strauss. T & W Cheetham (Minerals) Ltd was an established mineral water manufacturer principally in the Birmingham area, having been incorporated in 1962.
Following the acquisition of AVI by Cowburns & Scotts, W H Whitaker stepped down as chairman following 28 years of service. He had also been chairman for the following companies: Scotts (Bolton) Ltd, Cowburns Ltd, Severn and Co. Ltd, G.W. Waugh Ltd, Pitel and Co. Ltd. He was replaced by R S Lamdin, whose son D R Lamdin, also served as a director. During their directorship the companies presided over were extended to include: Pitel-Lo Ltd, Or-Lenn Ltd (previously Scotts (Boulton) Ltd) , Severn & Co Ltd, AVI Hotels Ltd, AVI Hotel (1968) Ltd, AV Properties Ltd, Beverage Investments , S & E Hall Ltd, Pear Tree Club, The Stainer Cellar Co. Limited trading as The Banbury Bond, Neilson Hotels Ltd, and Hans Neilson Farm Products Ltd.
In October 1971, the offer by Greenall Whitley and Co Ltd to purchase AVI was declared unconditional. Mr R S Lamdin resigned as chairman of AVI directly afterwards.
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