London Clubland press round-up
Your guide to recent press coverage
The last couple of months have seen continued press interest in Clubland.
Samira Shackle wrote this ‘long read’ in the Observer, “Welcome to the club: why are private members’ clubs booming?”, on the recent surge of interest in clubs old and new. (I was one of several people she interviewed.)
Elizabeth Hotson produced a half-hour special on “The mystious world of private members’ clubs” for Business Daily on the BBC World Service. (Again, I have an interest to declare, as I was one of the interviewees.)
The sudden closure of the Groucho Club attracted considerable media coverage worldwide.
Although a specific reason was not originally given - it was simply attributed to allegations of “a serious crime” - the closure was later linked by the Metropolitan Police to an alleged rape at the Club on Wednesday 13th November. A 34-year-old male suspect from Hertfordshire was arrested on Saturday 30th November, and was subsequently released on bail until February.
Papers filed with Westminster City Council are heavily redacted in the public versions, but show that a police constable working on the case filed for an expedited review of the Club’s licence on Friday 22nd November, with the application endorsed by a Superintendant on Saturday 23rd November, leading to the immediate closure of the Club on Tuesday 26th November, following an earlier 10am meeting of Westminster’s Licensing Sub-Committee that day, at which the matter was the only agenda item. The meeting was held in secret, to prevent disclosure of an identity.
The Groucho Club is reported as having supported the review of its licence, and the Club has commented, assuring its members, “that the club (or indeed its staff or members) are not considered a suspect in any allegation of serious crime.” The Metropolitan Police has also released a statement saying, “At this stage, there is no suggestion that employees of the venue were involved in the commission of the offence.”
The Council’s licence review will need to be completed by Tuesday 24th December, with the last day for receiving any submissions being Monday 9th December.
The Daily Mail covered some recent litigation embroiling the Lansdowne Club, over a member contesting their expulsion from the Club. The expulsion was prompted by a 2021 breach of lockdown rules, which the member said was indavertent, due to the rules having changed while they had been abroad. It was subsequently reported that the member’s claim for reinstatement and damages was unsuccessful. In an 80-page High Court ruling, Mr Justice Ritchie threw out the former member’s claim.
The Daily Telegraph published a feature on the Little Houses Group which operates two family-oriented clubs, with a strong emphasis on childcare and play areas for children: Jesse’s House in Parson’s Green and Jaego’s House in Kensal Green. A third clubhouse, Orly’s House, is due to open in East Sheen shortly.