A high-end tableware retailer with the royal seal of approval is seeking a buyer after going into administration.
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Established in the early 19th century, Burlington Arcade-based Thomas Goode & Co became synonymous with some of the world’s finest tableware and supplied china, glassware, and crystal to royalty around the world.
The Sir Elton John-backed firm is perhaps best known for providing a dinner service for the wedding of the then Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981.
Acting on behalf of joint administrators David Elliott and Mark Reynolds of Valentine & Co, Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) has been tasked with securing a buyer for the 200-year-old business.
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Chris Buller, director of LSH’s asset advisory business, expressed optimism about the potential for a successful sale.
‘This is a genuinely prestigious brand with a fascinating backstory and impressive heritage,’ he said. ‘There is a huge opportunity here for the right buyer, and an enormous amount of remaining goodwill among some of the world’s wealthiest and most discerning consumers. We remain confident that there are buyers out there who can make the necessary investment to revive this much-loved British brand.’
The administrators and LSH are hopeful that a buyer will emerge who can breathe new life into Thomas Goode & Co, preserving its legacy while adapting it for future success.
The sale encompasses not only the trading brand but also an extensive inventory currently undergoing valuation. Additionally, the sale includes a substantial historical archive of national significance. This archive documents the evolution of taste, craftsmanship, and design during the zenith of British pottery and glass manufacturing.
Among the treasures are the unpublished diaries of William Goode, records of the company’s travels to China, the Far East, Europe, and Russia, design drawings, customer ledgers dating back to 1827, letter books, and correspondence, including documents from Queen Victoria’s household.
Sir Elton John, a self-confessed porcelain obsessive, began collecting fine china in 1990 after he became sober. He became co-owner of Thomas Goode & Co, and its global ambassador, in 2019.
At the time he said: ‘There’s no shop like this in the world. It’s an institution that I would cry if it ever shut down. I just love it. I’m so excited about being involved in the future of it.’
