C. Hoare & Co.

Spear’s Review

Founded in 1672, C. Hoare & Co. is the UK’s oldest privately owned bank, owned by the Hoare family for 12 generations.

C. Hoare & Co. was founded by the ​​goldsmith Richard Hoare and moved to its current home on Fleet Street in 1690. Some 353 years later, the bank is still doing business under the famous sign of the golden bottle and remains under the watchful eye of Sir Richard’s descendants: in 2024, the bank appointed a 10th-generation family member as its newest partner.

The bank offers a range of services to personal and business account holders, from mortgages to philanthropy advice. Its Master Charitable Trust provides a tax-efficient way to organise charitable giving, and the bank donates up to 10 per cent of annual profits to charitable causes through its Golden Bottle Trust.