25 of London’s most exclusive private members’ clubs, ranked by price Part 1

By Rosie Fitzmaurice From Business Insider

Behind a 20-tonne, two-metre wide vault door lies The Ned Club’s Vault bar & lounge, an all-hours cocktail bar lined with thousands of original safety deposit boxes, ideal for a nightcap.The Ned
London’s private members’ circuit has come a long way since the days of the stuffy gentleman’s club.

The capital now boasts one of the most diverse selections of clubs in the world.

While areas such as Mayfair and Pall Mall are still synonymous with the members’ club scene, an explosion of more accessible, affordable, and trendier clubs have shaken things up.

Whether you are looking for a wellbeing sanctuary, to indulge in the world of fine wine, art, and live performance, or just somewhere with cool rooms where cool-looking people hang out, each club has its very own niche, making it even trickier to pick the right one.

We’ve rounded up a selection of London’s most exclusive private members’ clubs, which cost between £150 to over £5,000 — or the cost of a new car — for an annual membership.

Scroll down for a sneak peek inside some of London’s best clubs, ranked in ascending order by the price of a standard annual membership and joining fee.

Disrepute, Soho — £150.
Disrepute
Disrepute, a “hidden gem” nestled within an opulent Soho basement, offers a carefully curated cocktail menu and an atmospheric space perfect for secret late-night sessions. It is one of the most reasonably priced members’ bars in London.

Membership privileges include priority reservations, the ability to book in parties of up to 12 people, and free access to special events, talks, and masterclasses.

The club says it is a members’ bar not in the conventional sense, and that applications are welcome from people of all backgrounds and persuasions. Non-members are also welcome to book a table, subject to availability.

You can apply for membership here.

Quo Vadis, Soho — £500, plus £150 joining fee.
Quo Vadis
Quo Vadis, easily recognisable by its iconic neon street sign, is another of Soho’s members’ haunts. The club consists of a first floor bar and lounge, and a dedicated members’ restaurant, which serves quintessentially British cuisine. The second floor is home to the “Blue Room,” an intimate, atmospheric lounge with open plan bar and first-rate sound system.

It is popular among Soho’s creatives, foodies, and more generally seekers of relaxed business and serious pleasures.

Under 30s benefit from a discounted yearly rate of £300. The club doesn’t have a blanket policy for membership and says it instead looks at case by case applications, accepting people without airs and graces who are interesting and happy to be themselves.

Prospective members can apply online here.

L’escargot, Soho — £450, plus £250 joining fee.

Set in a Georgian townhouse in the heart of Soho above London’s oldest French restaurant L’escargot, the chic Upstairs Club is accessed via a psychedelic carpeted spiral staircase.

It’s a secretive hideout away from the hustle and bustle of the capital. There is an air of eccentricity to the club which offers its members access to a series of private rooms, including the salon noir, salon bleu, and salon rouge, which regularly host performances and general debauchery.

Under 28s can obtain a reduced membership of £250. If you don’t have a proposer, you may be asked to visit the club and meet with one of the membership team for a drink and a brief introduction.

To apply, hopefuls should submit a personal profile online here.

Blacks Club, Soho — £525, plus £250 joining fee.

Nestled in the heart of Soho, Blacks Club is famed for the supper clubs that it now hosts at least once a month, with a focus on either wine, fashion, or art. Its website states: “The theme is always celebrated in style with special menus and plenty of wine! Always a popular night with members.”

There is a one-off joining fee of £250 and an annual membership costs £525, while a dual or couple membership costs £750. Meanwhile, under 30s benefit from a discounted rate of £300, and those overseas can pay £350 annually.

The full membership costs can be found online here.

The Chelsea Arts Club, Chelsea — £598, plus £295 joining fee.

The Chelsea Arts Club has a rustic and bohemian charm. The club centres around the billiard room, the dining room, and a secluded garden. There are also 12 bedrooms which members may book.

The club counts painters, sculptors, architects, poets, photographers, filmmakers, writers, actors, and musicians among its members, and their works are exhibited at the club year-round. Its parties are said to be “legendary.”

In addition to offering a discounted rate of £218 for under 30s, the club distinguishes between “town” and “country” memberships, with the latter benefitting from a reduced rate of £435.

The Chelsea Arts Club says it has a waiting list for new applicants, who have to be sponsored by two existing members whom they have known for at least two years.

The proposal form can be downloaded here.

Albert’s Club, Kensington — £650, plus £250 joining fee.
Albert’s Club
A relative newcomer to London’s private members’ scene, Albert’s Club opened its doors to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in 2016. Albert’s says it provides local residents with an alternative to its Mayfair rivals.

Inside, the décor is “quintessentially classic peppered with eccentric British twists,” the walls are lined with Colefax & Fowler wallpaper, and there are two mahogany wood-panelled bars, a lively nightclub, and a restaurant run by ex-Cecconi’s chef Alessio Piras.

Lifetime membership can be obtained for a one-off payment of £2,500, or annual membership is £650 with a £250 joining fee. All members are required to be proposed by a current member, or to come in for a quick tour with the membership director.

More information on Albert’s Club membership can be found here.

The Groucho Club, Soho — £950, plus £250 joining fee.
The Groucho Club
Founded in 1985, The Groucho Club is the original arts and media members’ club in the heart of Soho. The club is home to London’s creative elite, with a number of celebrity members, and is renowned for its contemporary art collection.

The walls of The Groucho Club are adorned with art from over 140 acclaimed artists, including Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst and David Shrigley. The club also has 20 furnished bedrooms as well as a selection of private event spaces available for both members and guests.

There is a reduced membership price of £575 for under 35s and £350 for under 30s. Members based in the country over 100 miles from London can pay £750, and overseas £650. A lifetime membership is priced at £15,000. Apply here. For under 30s, country members and those overseas the joining fee is reduced to £100.

The AllBright Club, Bloomsbury — £750, plus £250 joining fee.
Taran Wilkhu
The Allbright club opened in March 2018, it is the first female-only members’ club in the UK. It describes itself as “a space for working women to convene, collaborate and network in order to help change the current economic landscape for women.”

The club boasts a cocktail bar, library and lounge, exhibition space, and bookable meeting rooms. The bar stocks wines from all-female vineyards and a there is a unique cocktail list that pays homage to pioneering women from history. Members can visit a beauty bar in the basement’s powder room and attend exercise classes in the wellness area, run by Elissa El Hadj, founder of London’s Form Studios.

The AllBright Mayfair, a second female-only club, will open its doors in early 2019.

You can start an online application form here.

Century Club, Soho — £750, plus £250 joining fee.

Launched in 2001, The Century Club sits behind a discrete front door on Shaftesbury Avenue. It boasts four floors of members’ club fun, including Soho’s largest roof terrace.

Given its proximity to the theatres of London’s West End, it is frequented by people in the arts, media, and entertainment industries.

The club also offers an out-of-town reduced annual membership at £550, and an under 30s membership costs £400.

To apply for membership, prospective members need to complete an application and attend an informal meeting with the head of membership.

The Hospital Club, Covent Garden — £865, plus £250 joining fee.
The Hospital Club, Covent Garden — £865, plus £250 joining fee.
Paul Winch Furness
The Hospital Club is a unique private members’ club targeted at the world of creatives located in the heart of Covent Garden.

The seven-story building has an award-winning TV and music studio, a gallery, restaurant and bars, a screening room, 15 hotel rooms (open to non-members) and a live performance space, The Oak Room.

The club has a reputation for showcasing emerging and established creative talent via its gallery and member spaces.

Under 27s benefit from a discounted annual membership of £475, and a joining fee of £100.

Find out more here.

Morton’s Club, Mayfair — £1,000 a year, plus £500 joining fee.
Morton’s Club, Mayfair — £1,000 a year, plus £500 joining fee.
Morton’s Club
Morton’s private members’ club has been at the forefront of Mayfair’s elite social scene for the past 40 years. The Grade II-listed building overlooks the length of London’s exclusive Berkeley Square.

The first floor restaurant, with its lofty ceilings and panoramic balcony for summer al fresco dining, is the focal point of the house. Morton’s head chef, Dario Avenca, has devised a Mediterranean-inspired menu and the club claims to boast the largest wine list above any of its competitors.

Potential new members must be referred by two existing members. Applications are to be made to membership secretary Stephen Howard.

Shoreditch House, Shoreditch — from £1,300, plus £400 registration fee.
Shoreditch House, Shoreditch — from £1,300, plus £400 registration fee.
Shoreditch House
Shoreditch House is situated on the top three floors of the old Dickensian Tea Building in East London. It draws London’s “it” crowd and members can enjoy stunning views of the City from the club’s rooftop pool.

The club boasts plenty of other areas for members to chill out in — or freelance from — including the sitting room, the Square bar, the Snug, Cowshed Spa, the House Kitchen, which boasts a wood-fired oven, in addition to a gym, sauna, and steam room.

The Soho House group offers two kinds of yearly memberships — “local” and “every house.” The first costs £1,300, and gives you access to the facilities at one house in particular, while an every house membership grants you access to all of the clubs, and costs £1,650.

These rates are reduced to £700 and £925 respectively for under 27s, for whom the registration fee is also lower at £200.

Start your application here.

Behind a 20-tonne, two-metre wide vault door lies The Ned Club’s Vault bar & lounge, an all-hours cocktail bar lined with thousands of original safety deposit boxes, ideal for a nightcap.The Ned

NOTE: FOR ALL APPLICATIONS GO TO WEB SITE LINK BELOW.

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