Keeping the flame alight - Phillip Shervington

James Leavey talks to one of London’s great cigar aficionados

With Britain’s ban on advertising about to be extended to tobacco shop displays, personal recommendation will be one of the main keys to London’s future cigar sales.

If you’re in London which, for now, remains the cigar capital of the world, who better to ask than Phillip Shervington, manager of Shervington’s in High Holborn.

Shervington has been chairman of the AITS (Association of Independent Tobacco Specialists) for the last two years and has been beavering away, alongside Simon Chase and others, trying to extract an exemption for specialist tobacco shops from the proposed anti-smoking bill.

“Our argument is that our customers often like to try a cigar before they buy a box,” says Shervington. “We don’t want to lose potential sales because our customers have to go out into the street in the pouring rain to test-drive one of our cigars.

“The way things look at the moment, there seems to be a real possibility that we will be granted an exemption for testing the product, ie fine cigars, and that would apply to our customers as well. But you know what this Government is like, they could change with the wind.” If anywhere should be exempt from the smoking ban, Shervington’s should be such a place for it is London’s second oldest tobacco merchant, after James J Fox and Robert Lewis. It was started by John Brunfit in 1864 and Phillip’s great great grandfather, Douglas Shervington, used to supply the shop with tobacco which he grew on his plantations in Australia.

“Our shop i.....

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By James Leavey

Section : Cigar Interviews

Page number : 16

Published in Cigar Buyer Issue 10 on 22/11/2006.

This article is 27 months old and some information provided may be time sensitive. Please check all details of events, tours, opening times and other information before travelling or making arrangements.



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	Keeping the flame alight - Phillip Shervington James Leavey talks to one of London’s great cigar aficionados With Britain’s ban on advertising about to be extended to tobacco shop displays, personal recommendation will be one of the main keys to London’s future cigar sales. If you’re in London which, for now, remains the cigar capital of the world, who better to ask than Phillip Shervington, manager of Shervington’s in High Holborn. Shervington has been chairman of the AITS (Association of Independent Tobacco Specialists) for the last two years and has been beavering away, alongside Simon Chase and others, trying to extract an exemption for specialist tobacco shops from the proposed anti-smoking bill. “Our argument is that our customers often like to try a cigar before they buy a box,” says Shervington. “We don’t want to lose potential sales because our customers have to go out into the street in the pouring rain to test-drive one of our cigars. “The way things look at the moment, there seems to be a real possibility that we will be granted an exemption for testing the product, ie fine cigars, and that would apply to our customers as well. But you know what this Government is like, they could change with the wind.” If anywhere should be exempt from the smoking ban, Shervington’s should be such a place for it is London’s second oldest tobacco merchant, after James J Fox and Robert Lewis. It was started by John Brunfit in 1864 and Phillip’s great great grandfather, Douglas Shervington, used to supply the shop with tobacco which he grew on his plantations in Australia. “Our shop i..... To read the rest of this article you can buy this issue or subscribe to Cigar Buyer to have every issue delivered direct to your door. By James Leavey Section : Cigar Interviews Page number : 16 Published in Cigar Buyer Issue 10 on 22/11/2006. Subscribe Buy this issue More from this issue Preview other issues This article is 27 months old and some information provided may be time sensitive. Please check all details of events, tours, opening times and other information before travelling or making arrangements. Copyright Cigar Buyer © 1999-2009. All rights reserved. To use or reproduce part or all of this article please contact us for details of how you can do so legally.