Private members clubs in London you don't actually have to be a member of!
... does that make sense?
Members' clubs intimate exclusivity... they're not just for anyone... no riff-raff... just the creme of the party-circuit's social elite all hobbing each other's knobs. Social bliss.
There is a fly in the ointment, however... it's not always that easy to become a member. And if you want a bit of variety, then becoming a member of multiple clubs can begin to burden the ol' purse strings.
So here, we bring you a selection of clubs who are quite happy for you to become a transient member.
Riff-raff need not apply...
Non-members are welcome at the bar of Soho’s Milk & Honey before 11 pm, just make sure you book ahead and it’s not at weekends when the venue is at its busiest. There’s a great cocktail menu and bar bites include sliders and charcuterie. A huge benefit for women who wish to drink undisturbed is that men aren’t allowed to approach them unless invited to.
If you’re a literary enthusiast this is the club for you. The bookshop has rare tomes covering punk, sex, fashion, cookery, cult themes and much more, and members are largely bohemian and arty. Anyone can join as there is no stuffy recommendation system, and the annual fee is £125 (£75 if you’re under 27), which can then be used entirely as credit to buy books, making it in practice, free.
One of the founders of The Hospital Club is former Eurythmic Dave Stewart, so unsurprisingly it’s aimed at people in the music biz and other creative industries. Priced at £825 a year it’s not the most expensive members’ club in London, but non-members can stay at the boutique hotel for £180 a night.
Soho House
40 Greek Street W1D 4EB
Private Clubs
Opening Times
If you’ve found yourself puzzled by the amount of people posting pictures on Facebook of their birthday dinners at Soho House (they can’t all be members, surely?) it’s because rooms are available for all to hire for parties. It’s not free of course, but it’s still cheaper than the annual £800 fee, plus there’s the cache of writing“Soho House”as the location on your invite.
Fulham’s Broadway House has all the typical amenities of modern, on-trend private members’ clubs: a library, a cocktail bar, and two roof terraces. For non-members there’s restaurant Brasa, named after a grill specially imported from Spain. The menu has crowd-pleasers like crispy pork belly, rump of lamb and pan-roasted salmon, all keenly priced.
Legendary Quo Vadis has been open since 1926, and is far more famous for its restaurant than its members’ club. Owned by the same people as Barrafina, acclaimed chef Jeremy Lee’s menu features innovative British dishes like baked artichoke stuffed with goat’s cheese, ox liver, and pumpkin rice cakes with squash.
Searcys Club at the top of the Gherkin building is the self-proclaimed UK’s highest private members’ club. The restaurant is on the top floor of this tower, letting diners take in 360 degree views of London while they eat. Generally it’s only open to members, however they frequently open to the public for short periods of time, so if you fancy dining in the sky check their website for details.
KX GYM UK
151 Draycott Avenue SW3 3AL
Health Clubs
Opening Times
KX in Chelsea is a far cry from The Groucho Club, where all night benders were once the order of the day. Here the focus is on health and fitness, with a state of the art gym with personal trainers, and spinning, boxing, pilates and dance classes. The spa, with a steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, and a sauna, is open to non-members.
One of the capital’s most famous private clubs, the elegant Georgian townhouse where Home House is located boasts a bar designed by Zaha Hadid. Non-members can book the luxuriously appointed rooms, some of which feature Victorian bathtubs and four poster beds. Rates start from £224.
Once upon a time this building was a bordello, but today it’s a private club, albeit with a gastropub and boutique hotel that are open to all. With a menu of simple British dishes that cost £35 for a three course dinner, and affordable rates for the rooms (starting from £200), it’s a lot less expensive than you’d expect from its swanky Mayfair post code.
