The Wellington Club

2 out of 10 stars

I was taken by a member down to the Wellington last weekend, and the disappointment was palpable. To begin with, it looks as if Damien Hirst has thrown up in the place... there is no sign of clever or thoughtful decor at all, just gaudy sensationalist, brit-pop kitsch that is a decade or two out of date.
There is no sign of exclusivity either. As far as I could see, anyone with 15 quid was allowed through the door. The only advantage that I could see of going with a member was that we were permitted in free of charge. The staff were rude, and the doormen incredibly so, caring little about the punters. Hardly a member's club service.
The clientele were seedy and gaudy (much like the decor) - a mixture of chavs, Eastern European mafia and wealthy Middle Easterners, with a good sprinkling of rather circumspect looking young girls thrown into the mix.
I practically beat down the door to get out of there, it was so unpleasant, and I certainly will not be going back. The only redeeming factor of the place was that the drinks were not completely unreasonable.