Heron International
Encyclopedia
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. After over extending itself in the 1990s, it was revived by Gerald Ronson
, and is now developing Heron Tower
in London.
manufacture and sales business. In 1954 Henry's son Gerald
joined the family firm, and at the beginning of the 1960s was asked to look at new markets. He developed a property arm through housing construction, and in March 1966 opened the first of some 1,000 self-service
petrol stations in St Albans
, the first in the United Kingdom.
Developing into commercial property and office development, by 1967 Heron International was active in seven European countries and fifty-two British municipalities. During the 1970s and 1980s, Heron International sponsored the Suzuki
factory racing team in Grand Prix motorcycle racing
, with riders including Barry Sheene
, Randy Mamola
, Mick Grant
and Rob McElnea
.
By the early 1980s Heron was one of the largest private companies in the United Kingdom, with assets of over £1.5 billion. But the company was over-extended, and after Gerald's involvement in the Guinness share-trading fraud
during which time he spent six months in Ford Open Prison, by the mid-1990s the company almost collapsed with debts of £2.4 billion owed to 89 banks and 15,000 bondholders. The company survived with help from Bill Gates
, Rupert Murdoch
, Craig McCaw
, Oracle Corporation
’s founder, Larry Ellison
, and others who gave loans to Heron.
forms the centrepiece of the Heron Plaza development at 110 Bishopsgate, incorporating new public spaces and a network of squares and gardens. In July 2009, Heron International confirmed that it had signed heads of terms with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to develop a mixed-use project as a component of Heron Plaza.
. Rather than offices, the slender 36-storey tower will be a development of 284 luxury apartments right at the centre of the City of London. The lower floors of the development will incorporate new facilities for the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
. At 112m tall, The Heron's moody-looking anodised aluminium and steel facade should provide an interesting aesthetic contrast to the Barbican's concrete towers on the other side of Silk Street.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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. After over extending itself in the 1990s, it was revived by 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...
, and is now developing Heron Tower
Heron Tower
Heron Tower, also referred to as 110 Bishopsgate, is a skyscraper owned by Heron International in the City of London. It was completed in 2011...
in London.
Foundations
Named after founder Henry Ronson, Heron International was a furnitureFurniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
manufacture and sales business. In 1954 Henry's son Gerald
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...
joined the family firm, and at the beginning of the 1960s was asked to look at new markets. He developed a property arm through housing construction, and in March 1966 opened the first of some 1,000 self-service
Self-service
Self service is the practice of serving oneself, usually when purchasing items. Common examples include many gas stations, where the customer pumps their own gas rather than have an attendant do it...
petrol stations in St Albans
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
, the first in the United Kingdom.
Suzuki MotoGP
Suzuki MotoGP is the official factory-backed team of Suzuki in the MotoGP World Championship. The team currently compete under the name Rizla Suzuki MotoGP.-History:...
factory racing team in Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
, with riders including Barry Sheene
Barry Sheene
Barry Stephen Frank Sheene MBE was a British World Champion Grand Prix motorcycle road racer.-Early life:...
, Randy Mamola
Randy Mamola
Randy Mamola born in San Jose, California is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. He is considered one of the most talented riders never to have won a world championship.-Career:...
, Mick Grant
Mick Grant
Mick Grant is a former professional motorcycle road racer. He is a seven-time winner of the Isle of Man TT motorcycle race on various bikes, including 'Slippery Sam', a three-cylinder Triumph Trident...
and Rob McElnea
Rob McElnea
Rob McElnea is a retired motorcycle road racer, who won three Isle of Man TT races, and with a best of fifth overall in Grands Prix....
.
By the early 1980s Heron was one of the largest private companies in the United Kingdom, with assets of over £1.5 billion. But the company was over-extended, and after Gerald's involvement in the Guinness share-trading fraud
Guinness share-trading fraud
The Guinness share-trading fraud was a famous British business scandal of the 1980s. It involved an attempt to manipulate the stock market on a massive scale to inflate the price of Guinness shares and thereby assist a £2.7 billion take-over bid for the Scottish drinks company Distillers...
during which time he spent six months in Ford Open Prison, by the mid-1990s the company almost collapsed with debts of £2.4 billion owed to 89 banks and 15,000 bondholders. The company survived with help from Bill Gates
Bill Gates
William Henry "Bill" Gates III is an American business magnate, investor, philanthropist, and author. Gates is the former CEO and current chairman of Microsoft, the software company he founded with Paul Allen...
, Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
, Craig McCaw
Craig McCaw
Craig McCaw is a Seattle-area businessman and entrepreneur who achieved success as a pioneer in the cellular phone industry. He is the founder of McCaw Cellular and Clearwire Corporation.-Early life and cable TV beginnings:Craig is the second of four sons of Marion and John Elroy McCaw...
, Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation
Oracle Corporation is an American multinational computer technology corporation that specializes in developing and marketing hardware systems and enterprise software products – particularly database management systems...
’s founder, Larry Ellison
Larry Ellison
Lawrence Joseph "Larry" Ellison is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Oracle Corporation, one of the world's leading enterprise software companies. As of 2011, he is the third wealthiest American citizen, with an estimated worth of $33 billion.- Early life :Larry Ellison was born in the...
, and others who gave loans to Heron.
Today
Now supported by a series of investors, Heron International is a property development company, having developed more than 1000000 square metres (1,195,990 sq yd) of commercial and retail property, and around 15,000 residential units in the UK, Continental Europe and the US, with an investment portfolio worth over £500 million. The company still owns about 78 petrol stations.Heron Plaza
Heron TowerHeron Tower
Heron Tower, also referred to as 110 Bishopsgate, is a skyscraper owned by Heron International in the City of London. It was completed in 2011...
forms the centrepiece of the Heron Plaza development at 110 Bishopsgate, incorporating new public spaces and a network of squares and gardens. In July 2009, Heron International confirmed that it had signed heads of terms with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to develop a mixed-use project as a component of Heron Plaza.
The Heron
The company is currently developing The Heron in London's Square Mile on the site of Milton CourtMilton Court
Milton Court, near Dorking, is a 16th century country house in Surrey, which was substantially rebuilt by the Victorian architect William Burges...
. Rather than offices, the slender 36-storey tower will be a development of 284 luxury apartments right at the centre of the City of London. The lower floors of the development will incorporate new facilities for the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama is an independent music and dramatic arts school which was founded in 1880 in London, England. Students can pursue courses in Music, Opera, Drama and Technical Theatre Arts.-History:...
. At 112m tall, The Heron's moody-looking anodised aluminium and steel facade should provide an interesting aesthetic contrast to the Barbican's concrete towers on the other side of Silk Street.