PRIVATE DININGBESPOKE EVENTSEXCLUSIVE HIRECONFERENCING

EIGHT MEMBERS CLUB

020 7392 9410www.eightclub.co.ukkairi@eightclub.co.uk

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HOME HOUSE PRIVATE MEMBERS CLUB

Intimate. Glamorous. Grown-up.Everything a wedding venue should be

Located in the heart of Marylebone, Londonwww.homehouse.co.uk/private-hire

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Stay one step ahead of crowd •The canny choice for those gifted with a keen nose and discerning taste•

The secret of staying alert and quick witted •Look Smart think smart •

A cunning Fox and a charming vixen •An astute decision•

46 Clarges Street, London W1J 7ER tel 020 7495 3656 fax 020 7495 3626 Bethan@foxclublondon.com

www.foxclublondon.com

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B EH I N D C L O S E D D O O R S

Hanging on a wall in The In & Out club is a stuff ed goat’s head, gifted to it by Rudyard Kipling in

1916. At Pratt’s Club, all the male waiters are known as George, and there are rumours that Bill Clinton once regaled an audience at The Groucho with a piano solo in the bar. The quirks and stories of London’s private members clubs are the stuff of legend.

It’s these little mysteries that make them such intriguing venues. Often, the assumption is that gaining access is the privilege of those who know the right

With the capital enjoying a fl urry of openings this year and next, we take a look at the best private members clubs for events

WORDS MILLIE MILLIKEN

P R I VAT E M E M B E R S C L U B S

handshake. But now, more clubs are opening themselves up to non-members. A quick look through Twitter and I fi nd, ‘First world problems: when one of the members clubs you belong to is closed for a private event without prior warning. Annoying.’

It’s a hassle for members, maybe, but good news for event bookers looking for somewhere with an element of mystery. ‘When it comes to events, exclusivity is a selling point,’ says Ronald Ndoro, founder of Library. ‘It gives you the chance to invite people to a space they’ve probably never been to before – it

makes it that bit more special.’There are more to choose from

too. In 2012, a club sprung up every six months – now, it’s every six weeks. This new breed is culturally savvy, business ready and serves excellent food. An article in The Economist suggested that clubs are opening to service the growing population of foreign high-net-worth individuals calling London their home. These profi t-minded venues are also being designed with non-member facilities in mind.

To compete, more traditional clubs have also opened their doors to a wider customer base, while >>

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upping their game in food, facilities and fun. Here’s our pick of London’s ever-growing bunch.

EMBRACING THE UNUSUAL Setting themselves apart from more traditional offerings, there are some private members clubs that don’t fit the cookie cutter. January saw culture-hub The Hospital Club (020 7170 9148) add 15 bedrooms and suites to its seven-floor offering. Eleven event spaces include the blank-canvas Gallery for up to 300 standing guests, or 100 for a conference. My favourite space is The Oak Room. Live performances can be held on the stage and dimly lit furnishings give the 125-capacity space a home-away-from-home feel.

High-calibre events are run of the mill at Library (020 3302 7912) – something Ronald sees as an advantage for those wanting to hold one of their own. ‘There’s such a competitive market in London right now, so it made sense to facilitate

non-members’ needs in an area which we’re already comfortable in.’ Split over two floors, the whole space can take up to 100. Room 7, with its exposed-brick and book-lined walls, is a characterful spot for boardroom meetings or private dinners.

Fancy bumping into The Who frontman Roger Daltrey? You’re likely to find him at 19-21 Portman Square, otherwise known as Home House (020 7670 2000). Mixing its 1776 roots with contemporary features like a Zaha Hadid bar (espresso martinis are a speciality), the venue’s spaces enjoyed a revamp in 2011. Its Front Parlour & Eating Room can be used for meetings or cocktail parties for up to 250. The smaller Asylum Room is the spot for intimate dinners with views over the Courtyard Gardens.

Soho House Group now keeps its venues members-only, but its partner Hoxton Hotel (020 7550 1000) is seriously set up for events. Both the Shoreditch and Holborn outposts have a space called The

Apartment. Split into the Living Room, Pantry Kitchen, Library, The Studies, Dining Room, Play Room and Den, meetings and presentations are just as well catered for as private dinners, and takeover parties for 250 guests.

Back in Soho is Century Club (020 7534 3080). A recent post-show party with the lads from West End hit Sunny Afternoon got us through the doors. It’s a place that prides itself on offering an oasis of calm amid the madness of Soho. The most impressive space has to be the wood-clad brasserie Tap Room, which private groups can book for receptions of up to 80 guests.

SCENE STEALERSPrivate members nightclubs are also on the rise. One of them, muso-haunt Tape London (020 7659 9080), has had the likes of Mick Jagger and Niall from One Direction paying visits. Its motto, ‘Turn up. Tune in. Take over’, applies to events with its 400-capacity space available

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for exclusive drinks and canapé receptions. Screenings are also an option (as you can imagine, the AV is top notch) and private dinners for 120 will see groups feasting on the likes of lobster bisque, confi t beef cheek and tuna tartare.

Would your boss’ eyes light up if you booked them into a ‘chaotic utopia of hedonism’? Drama (020 7208 4125) opened on Park Lane in September and is a rival for The Box Soho, off ering guests eclectic performances and general debauchery. Keep a look out for staff dressed in fetish gear. It’s set to be heaving on Thursday and Friday nights, but groups can book semi-private VIP areas. As the venue’s closed during the rest of the week, it can be hired exclusively by and for non-members.

A recent jaunt to Margaret Street

saw me in the depths of late-night venue BEAT London (07771 817677). When I say late night, I mean it: opening time is billed as 2.30am (yes, that’s right), and you’ll be pleased to know that events can be scheduled into the wee hours. Starting life as The Speakeasy in 1966, glimpses of the former club are still evident in the David Bowie and Ronnie Wood portraits on the walls. The whole space is able to hold 250 guests on an exclusive-hire basis.

The team behind Toy Room and Project have opened Charlie (020 7499 7188) on Berkeley Street. Named after a certain Mr Chaplin, the swish space has a strong 1920s identity – outfi ts and all. When members aren’t playing pool, the Haig Room’s central games counter doubles as a table for private dinners. The main club space can be hired for

larger dos and benefi ts from a high-spec sound system for parties.

STICKING WITH TRADITIONFormerly home to Waldorf and Nancy Astor, the Naval & Military Club (020 7871 0577) is one of London’s oldest. The Grade II-listed venue in St James’s Square has seven traditional-looking spaces. Banquets and receptions are best held in the King Harald Room. Private dinners in the Cambridge Room come with wall-mounted taxidermy and, in summer, outdoor events can be moved into the secluded courtyard.

Another old timer, the Carlton Club (020 7399 0903) in Mayfair is the most mature Conservative association in town. Portraits of Thatcher and Major will look on as groups of up to 36 dine in the >>

Would your boss’ eyes light up if you booked them into a ‘chaotic utopia of hedonism’ ?

P R I VAT E M E M B E R S C L U B S

The green stuff

Roehampton ClubAs well as having four indoor areas, the club can arrange activities such as croquet, golf classes and tennis clinics.

The Roof Gardens The venue’s Tudor and Spanish Gardens can be hired for barbecues in the warm months and receptions year round.

The Hurlingham Club Delegates can enjoy a spot of cricket, croquet or tennis after a conference in the venue’s modern events wing.

Clubs to feel the grass beneath your feet

1 Charlie

2 Drama

3 Century Club

4 Home House

5 Hospital Club

6 BEAT London

7 Library

8 Tape London

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formal Cabinet Room. The largest space, the Churchill Room, holds 200 for receptions. Business is best done in the Library, which can host board meetings or small luncheons.

City-slicker Brand Exchange (020 7389 9410) opened to events in January this year. Within its Grade II-listed walls, the club has two main spaces for private events. Groups of up to 60 can take over the Gallery, while presentations and private dinners for a dozen can be held in The Orangery.

Between them, sister venues The Clubhouse 50 Grosvenor Hill and The Clubhouse 11-14 Grafton Street (020 7183 7210) have 14 areas for non-members. These range from six-seater boardrooms to spaces for up to 200 standing guests.

Old-fashioned discretion is epitomised at Eight Club Moorgate (020 7392 9410). Dark-wood walls and Chesterfield sofas give its Library a Mad Men-feel, while a 150-capacity conference room takes care of business.

Mayfair’s laidback The Fox Club (020 7495 3656) is where it’s at for intimate events. The former home of statesman (and lush) Charles James Fox, the venue has three spaces to choose from. My favourite has to be the Drawing Room: private dinners for 20 will have guests qua«ng contentedly from the impressive wine list.

SUPPER HEROESMore members clubs are now hiring the services of big-name chefs in order to compete with restaurants and venues with celebrity-facing catering arms.

The Groucho Club (020 7432 6339) appointed Racine head chef Henry Harris this year. Hailed as ‘the best French chef with the decency to be British’ by The Guardian columnist Tim Hayward, his trademark turns are now making an appearance

on private event menus. The set menus at the Soho-based club are particularly impressive: pre-dinner canapés include steak tartare and smoked haddock rarebit, followed by the likes of lobster terrine and grilled veal chop.

Behind the club’s new entrance, seven event spaces include the wood-clad Gennaro Room where meetings, private dinners and cocktail parties can be held for 30, 60 and 100 guests respectively. The recently refurbished Mary-Lou Room has a new bar and fireplace, and can be hired for up to 60 guests,

or the Club Room works best for informal events.

It may bill itself as a ‘technology accelerator’

but the food at Canary Wharf ’s Level39 (020 7418 2201) is also a focus: caterer Lusso has just appointed

Tom Sellers as consultant to oversee

event menus. The owner

BIG BONUS

Event planners may only be hiring non-member areas

of a club, but most venues will give organisers a temporary

membership during their time there. That means making use of any gym, pool and spa facilities

before (or after) your guests arrive – well, it’d be rude

not to.

1 Eight Club Moorgate

2 Carlton Club

3 The Clubhouse 50 Grosvenor Hill

4 The Groucho

5 Blacks Club

6 Mark Hix

7 Level39

8 Lights of Soho

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of Michelin-starred Restaurant Story will work closely with the venue’s head chef to create a new menu for ClubLounge39, which has opened to non-members. Food will also be served in the main Space 39 area, which can hold a maximum of 250 guests. An adjoining technology tunnel featuring changing artwork, holograms and lasers can be used as a breakout and catering space.

Soho is no stranger to neon lights, so a new members club dedicated to luminescence is at home on Brewer Street. Lights of Soho (020 7183 2003) graced a recent GQ cover, but it’s celebrity chef Mark Hix’s involvement that we’re most excited about. He’s been brought in to consult on an ever-changing small plates menu. Exclusive lunch and

dinner dos work for up to 120 guests, with the basement and ground floor both able to hold 60 separately.

It may not have a celebrity chef in its kitchens but Dean Street-based Blacks Club (020 7287 3381) – now a self-defined ‘louche drinking den’ – was the original supper club. Founders Samuel Johnson, playwright David Garrick and painter Joshua Reynolds would use it to discuss the day’s events over fine food and wine. In 2014, the club was bought with the aim of restoring its gastronomic reputation. The elegant dining room is best for formal qua«ng and eating for up to 40 people, while the basement Den’s cocktail parties and intimate dinners would certainly make Johnson proud. V&E

As we go to press, the South Kensington Club is in soft launch. We’ve been told there will be space for non-members to hold events.

Hotelier Michael Achenbaum is set to open £70m The Curtain Hotel and Private Members’ Club next year. The nine-storey building will feature a rooftop pool area, screening rooms and a ballroom. A Michelin-star chef is also mooted.

Having pumped £30m into the Strand’s Adelphi Building, New York’s NeueHouse is opening a branch on the Strand next spring.

Brian Clivaz is working in partnership with Lord Ashcroft to open the Devonshire Square Club next summer. The Clerkenwell venue will apparently have house dining rooms, a screening room and numerous bars.

COMING SOON

P R I VAT E M E M B E R S C L U B S

Soho is no stranger to neon lights, so a new members club dedicated to luminescence is at home on Brewer Street

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