Fortnum & Mason

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The fruit and flowers section on the ground floor of Fortnum and Mason.

Fortnum & Mason, often shortened to just "Fortnum's", is a department store situated in Piccadilly, London and established in 1707 by William Fortnum and Hugh Mason. Its fame rests almost entirely on its upmarket food hall, though only one of its several floors is devoted to food. It is also the location of a celebrated tea shop.

In 1761, William Fortnum's grandson Charles went into the service of Queen Charlotte, and the royal affiliation led to an increase in business. The store began to stock speciality items, namely ready-to-eat luxury meals such as fresh poultry or game served in aspic jelly.

During the Napoleonic War, the emporium supplied dried fruit, spices and other preserves to the British forces, and during the Victorian era it was frequently called upon to provide food for prestigious court functions. Queen Victoria even sent shipments of Fortnum and Mason's concentrated beef tea to Florence Nightingale's hospitals during the Crimean War.

In 1964, its owner Garfield Weston, commissioned a huge four-ton clock be installed above the main entrance of the store as a tribute to its founders. Every hour four-foot models of William Fortnum and Hugh Mason emerge and bow to each other, with chimes and 18th century-style music playing in the background.

Fortnum & Mason is also famed for its luxury picnic hampers, which the store would first distribute to Victorian era high society at events such as the Henley Regatta and the Ascot Races. These hampers — which contain dainties such as Stilton cheese, champagne and smoked salmon — remain popular with England's upper class, especially at Christmas time.

The store was acquired by Canadian billionaire, W. Garfield Weston (1898-1978) who became its Chairman. It is currently run by his grand-daughters, Jana Weston Khayat and Kate Weston Hobhouse.

Reports in newspapers in late 2005, indicated that the store had been overwhelmed by orders for Christmas goods. A number of orders could not be fulfilled resulting in complaints.

The store is now undergoing a major refurbishment as it heads towards 300 years of trading in 2007.