Morton's private members' club has been at the forefront of Mayfair's elite social scene for the past 40 years. Watch Members Sir Michael Palin and Professor Michael Wheeler speak briefly on the history of the Club before the publication of Professor Wheeler's book The Athenaeum: More Than Just Another London Club (published by Yale University Press on 22 September 2020), a compelling history of the Club and its Members' impact on Britain's scientific, creative, and official life: Those interested in applying should get in touch with the club to be sent an application form. Great for: Dining (the smoked eel sandwich is famous) Among its many features is the screening room, a fully air-conditioned 43-seat cinema (pictured above) offering a varied programme of advance screenings and new releases. In a bid to attract younger members, there's also an under-35 membership option (1,750 per year plus a 500 joining fee) and an under-27 membership option (1,250 plus a 250 joining fee). Who goes here: Anyone looking for a different take on the Soho club So your four-legged friend can laze in front of the open fire while you enjoy all the spoils of the dinner menu. To you, all the other Soho Houses are as worthless as the rebooted Jumanji or Italian Job, and good for you. 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. Process for membership is to simply apply online here. The eccentric English "Alice in Wonderland" style decor alone makes it worth a visit to its restaurant, bars, garden terrace, private dining rooms, spa, and cigar room think bespoke chandeliers, pink ceilings, and a seriously Instagram-worthy bathroom. The full membership costs can be found onlinehere. Annabels is legendary on the London club scene. Finally! The following day return and ask to pay for the four negronis you had yesterday, showing them your open tab card. 6,611 were here. Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations with other readers. Who goes here:Practising artists, or at least those withconnections to the visual arts Key membership benefits: Members events and private dining We've rounded them up and ranked them by the price of a standard annual membership. Membership cost: 950 annual subscription plus 250 joining fee, Want to receive more great articles like this every day? 'The Athenaeum has become a valued part of my life. Five hundred quid. Set in a Southwark former printworks, the club, an offshoot of Ministry of Sound, couldnt be further from the over-the-top likes of some Mayfair clubs, or the too-cool-for-school Soho ones, The Ministry is chill and fun. But while many charge a lower rate to under-25s, Buck's has introduced four tiers above that - up to the age of 40 - to help those coming. Ease of entry: Tricky, members mustve achieved something significant in the arts, be proposed and seconded by members and considered by a discerning membership committee 8.8 Twitter @nnimrodd. Formerly Rolling Stone Ronnie Woods socialite-heavy Harrington Club, The South Kensington Club has gone a very different direction now. 51.5068 . The club is a career network for women to connect, to launch a business or find friendships and unwind. Judge and former Supreme Court President Sohos largest rooftop doubled in size during lockdown and it ideal for gazing across the lights of the West End with a sundowner in hand. The club offers members an opulent space to relax and conduct business. You wish to settle it. 06/12/13 The Clubhouse is located at 107 Pall Mall, at the corner of Waterloo Place. Then beg for a White Russian while waiting for a wedding that hasnt started. Who goes here: Alternative professionals Candidates require a proposer and seconder from within the club's existing membership. Designed by Bruno Moinard and set within the former headquarters of the Port of London Authority in Tower Hill, it boasts a cigar sampling lounge, library and billiards room, and a members' bar and dining room, where you can enjoy an extensive wine list. A butchers daughter from Moss Side, I became a member in 2005 after a career in education and the civil service. Members can take advantage of 12 meeting rooms, a private screening room, a library, members lounges or restaurant, and some Championship pool tables. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. 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. Ease of entry: Members must be proposed and considered by the committee (tip: take special note of the You and the Ned section) Applications are to be made to membership secretary Stephen Howard. But it is also a stimulating place, with many interesting events and activities, taking me down avenues I would not have thought of by myself., Broadcaster Picture by Daniel Hambury Key membership benefits: Access to Londons most exclusive As we approach our bicentenary in 2024, it is fitting that this distinctive characteristic prevails today. Club membership begins at 1,600 ($2,084) (for 20 visits per year), while business membership costs 3,200 ($4,168) (for 60 visits per year), and premier membership (unlimited visits per year) is 3,800 ($4,950). Process for membership is to simply apply online here. However,The Telegraphsuggested in 2013 that membership cost about 850 ($1,107) a year, so it is likely to be more than that now. 'Being a member of The Athenaeum is a real honour. Where: 40 Jermyn St, St. Jamess, London SW1Y 6DN Not all eateries are members only, letting you try before-you-buy, but the club also boasts two pools (one subterranean, the other rooftop) just for members, plus a floor of dining, meeting and relaxing space; an invaluable resource in the heart of Londons financial centre. It may not be the oldest, the grandest or the most exclusive, but its one of the best-known clubs in London and the swish private members club really is at the very top of its game at the moment. The Club has played host to just over 20,000 members since it was founded 200 years ago. Who goes here:Anyone who is anyone in South West London Set in the former Midland Bank building, it boasts 252 bedrooms channeling 1920s and 1930s design, nine restaurants, a range of grooming services, as well as "Ned's Club," a social and fitness club where members have access to a rooftop pool, gym, spa, hammam, and late-night lounge bar. According to Country & Town House, an annual subscription to Mark's Club is 2,000 ($2,605), and there's an entrance fee for the first year of 1,000 ($1,303). Henry James was elected to the Club in 1882 a year after the publication of his masterpiece novel, Portrait of a Lady. Alberts, spread over four floors, is a great fit, perfect for a Chelsea clientele keen not to make the trip into central London. From live music nights, an exclusive comedy club, and themed experiential dining events, to the relaunch of Londons original nightclub restaurant, and partnerships with some of Londons most exciting brands. At night, exit via number 21, the Vestibule Bar, like any other drunken member. Ease of entry: Members must be proposed and seconded by existing members 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. Key membership benefits: What about tequila in the loos couldnt you like? 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. The only way in is to be born to a member (a tricky option for you at this stage) or to marry one. Theres no interviews or esoteric initiations in the membership process its billed as a homefromhome, albeit a supremely exclusive one. David Cameron famously resigned from the club in 2008 after 15 years of membership, over its refusal to admit women members. A lifetime membership is priced at 15,000 ($19,540). The wide interests of the Club's membership are reflected in the Athenaeum Library, regarded by many as the finest club library in London. Election is by ballot in committee. Who goes here: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rhys Ifans and John Culshaw are apparently all members The various rooms in the Club provide convenient spaces for discussion, reading and research. Membership cost: Annual full membership at Home House is 1,450 for under-35s, 2,250 for those over 35, plus a 399 joining fee. The concept is a three-story townhouse featuring an all-day restaurant, two bars and a nightclub, plus a private dining room. My own involvement in the Club is just one illustration of this. The club draws together an array of the brightest minds into one place. They share in having contributed significantly to society through their involvement in their chosen sphere. 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 ($2,149). Check Instagram as well, as Coronation Streets Elizabeth Tan might tag herself at the drawing room. 'The Athenaeum has become a valued part of my life. . Members based in the country over 100 miles from London can pay 750 ($977), and overseas 650 ($847). The club is home to London's creative elite, with a number of celebrity members, and is renowned for its contemporary art collection. Details on membership can be found online here. It says it also provides "atmospheric rooms in which to relax and to leave the world of business behind.". As they desperately try to find the bill, order a negroni sour and open a new tab, with a real debit card. Non-members are also welcome to book a table, subject to availability. Navigating the myriad of London clubs can be opaque and tricky, so weve put together all the very best ones in one place. There are also 12 bedrooms which members may book. The Sloane Club today carries the baton of this heritage by being a space where the modern-day members, both men and women, meet and come together with a shared attitude of embracing life in all its glory. Who goes here: Yummy mummies, upmarket healthy international types and South Ken locals Prospective members can apply through a website form. MEMBERSHIP COST: 800 PER YEAR FOR UNDER 30s, FROM 1,015 PER YEAR FOR SOCIAL MEMBERSHIP, AND 1,240 PER YEAR FOR FULL MEMBERSHIP. Where: The Hurlingham Club, Ranelagh Gardens, Fulham, SW6 3PR The speakers are always at the top of their field and the debate that follows each talk is always thought provoking, lively and engaging. The Clubhouse is open on Monday to Friday from 7am to 12 midnight. The Clubs book collection may be found in the South Library and other library rooms (each with different subject matter specialisms). The first-floor restaurant, with its lofty ceilings and panoramic balcony for summer al fresco dining, is the focal point of the house. Guests rejuvenate on our peaceful 27 . Membership cost: 4,380 per year and a 1,000 joining fee, Where: 27 Poultry, The City, EC2R 8AJ The sometimes discreet, sometimes outrageous Soho private members club is a mecca for Londons media types, with no visit complete without meeting at least a handful of your heroes from stage and screen and at least one popstar to boot. The club has a reputation for showcasing emerging and established creative talent via its gallery and member spaces. It is one of the most reasonably priced members' bars in London. Apply here. Unlike in other preeminent clubs, its members were chosen on the basis of their achievements rather than on . A gilded statue of Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, looks out from a front balcony as the Clubs tutelary spirit and guide. It boasts two floors of member spaces, a 17-metre rooftop pool and bar, steam room, sauna, hammam, cinema, screening room, huge gym, and 45 bedrooms. ', Interior and Furniture Designer If you havent got a copy of OK Magazine to hand then dont worry, simply head to The Groucho Club and see anyone whos anyone in the flesh instead. You must be at least 18 years old to create an account, Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number, I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from Evening Standard.