Groucho Club
{{short description|Private members' club in Soho, London}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox building
| image = Groucho Club, Soho, W1 (2711860818).jpg
| name = The Groucho Club
| address = 45 Dean Street
| location_town = London
| location_country = England
| coordinates = {{coord|51.5131|-0.1341|display=inline,title}}
| map_type = Greater London#England
| map_caption = Location in London##Location in England
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The Groucho Club is a private members' club founded in 1985 and located on Dean Street in London's Soho. Its members are mainly drawn from the publishing, media, entertainment and arts industries.{{cite web|author=Sophie Leris|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/the-groucho-club-a-home-for-hellraisers-6472233.html|title=The Groucho Club: a home for hellraisers|work=Evening Standard|date=2010-05-21|access-date=2014-04-28}}
The club's facilities include three bars, two restaurants, a snooker room, an enclosed terrace, 17 bedrooms for members or their guests and four event rooms, which are available for hire.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/inside-story-the-groucho-club--20-years-of-schmoozing-and-boozing-6146962.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315044544/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/inside-story-the-groucho-club--20-years-of-schmoozing-and-boozing-6146962.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 March 2012|title=Inside Story: The Groucho Club – 20 years of schmoozing and boozing|work=The Independent|date=2005-05-02|access-date=2014-04-28}}
History
The club opened on 5 May 1985. Its name is reference to Groucho Marx saying he did not want to be a member of any club that would have him.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thegrouchoclub.com/club/history/|title=HISTORY – Groucho Club|last=Well|first=The Web|website=Groucho Club|access-date=2016-04-13}}* {{Wikiquote-inline|Groucho Marx}}
The club was owned by Graphite Capital from 2006 to 2015, when it was sold to a group of investors led by Isfield Investments and Alcuin Capital Partners.{{cite news|last1=Cotterill|first1=Joseph|title=Groucho Club sold by private equity firm|url=http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/932c35ea-15d3-11e5-a58d-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3kfCJiAuj|access-date=3 September 2015|work=Financial Times|date=18 June 2015}} In 2022, the Groucho Club was purchased through Manuela and Iwan Wirth's Art Farm, which owns a group of boutique hotels and restaurants, for £40 million.Alex Greenberger (11 August 2022), [https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/manuela-iwan-wirth-the-groucho-club-purchase-1234636442/ Hauser & Wirth Owners Buy Storied London Private Club with a Star-Studded Art Collection] ARTnews.
In March 2024, the club announced that it would be opening its inaugural branch outside of London at Bretton Hall near Wakefield in Yorkshire.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/mar/14/london-groucho-club-to-open-west-yorkshire-wakefield/|title='Why would we go to America first?' London's Groucho Club to open in Yorkshire |website=The Guardian |date=14 March 2024|access-date=14 March 2024}}
In November 2024, the club's license was suspended by Westminster City Council as a result of a criminal investigation.{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/f4039213-85a4-41c2-8c37-0d71bf704436|title=London's Groucho Club forced to close after claims of 'serious crime' on premises |website=The Financial Times|date=26 November 2024|access-date=26 November 2024}}
During the closure, CEO Elli Jafari stepped down after 10 months in the role. Simon Cooke, former Managing Director of Ronnie Scott's Club, has taken over as interim managing director. The reopening introduced updated guest sign-in procedures, requiring digital registration through the Groucho app to enhance safety and security.{{Cite web |last=Ellis |first=David |date=2025-01-08 |title=Groucho Club to reopen with Elli Jafari gone and new rules for guests |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/going-out/bars/groucho-club-reopens-ceo-departs-b1203592.html |access-date=2025-03-30 |website=The Standard |language=en}}
Members
{{multiple image
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| image1 = Rachel Weisz Cannes 2015.jpg
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| image2 = Stephen Fry June 2016.jpg
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| footer = Rachel Weisz (left) and Stephen Fry (right) have at one time been members of the Groucho Club}}
Anyone who is proposed by two existing members may apply for membership, but applications are favoured from those working in the creative side of media and the arts.{{cite web|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/in-pictures/why-is-the-groucho-club-harry-styles-favourite-london-hotspot-pictures_3477684|title=Why Is 'The Groucho Club' Harry Styles' Favourite London Hotspot? (Pictures)|date=February 2013 |publisher=Contactmusic.com|access-date=2014-04-28}}
Prominent members of the club have included Cara Delevingne, Nick Grimshaw, Harry Styles, Caroline Flack, Jarvis Cocker, Lily Allen, Melvyn Bragg, Stephen Fry, Noel Gallagher, Luke Pasqualino and Rachel Weisz.{{cite news |title=The Groucho Club: Private members bar set for £40 million buy out |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/the-groucho-club-private-members-bar-set-for-40-million-buy-out-deal-10237860.html |access-date=17 October 2019 |work=Evening Standard |date=8 May 2015 }}
Art
The club has a large collection of contemporary art, curated by Nicki Carter, a graduate of Goldsmiths, University of London during the YBA period, erstwhile waitress and now the longest serving employee.{{Cite web|title=The walls talk in the Groucho Club {{!}} Christie's|url=https://www.christies.com/features/The-Groucho-Club-Collection-6340-1.aspx|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Christie's|language=en}}
The Groucho Club Maverick Award
Launched in 2010 as 'the antidote to other awards', The Groucho Club Maverick Award celebrates people who have broken the mould in their field by challenging and making a significant contribution to culture and the arts in the previous 12 months, either in the UK or internationally.{{cite web|url=http://sideshow-circusmagazine.com/circusnews/nell-gifford-shortlisted-groucho-maverick-prize|title=Nell Gifford wins the Groucho Maverick Prize|date=2 November 2010|access-date=27 November 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite book
| last = Patten
| first = Alice
| title = The Groucho Club – 30th Anniversary
| publisher = Preface Publishing
| location = London
| year = 2015
| isbn =978-1848094703 }}
- {{cite book
| last = Thévoz
| first = Seth Alexander
| title = Behind Closed Doors: The Secret Life of London Private Members' Clubs
| publisher = Robinson/Little, Brown
| location = London
| year = 2022
| isbn =978-1-47214-646-5 }}
External links
- [http://www.thegrouchoclub.com/ Official website]
- [https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/the-groucho-club-a-home-for-hellraisers-6472233.html/ Evening Standard article]
{{Marx Brothers}}
{{Gentlemen's clubs in London}}
Category:1985 establishments in England
Category:Buildings and structures in the City of Westminster