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Seven of the Best Private Members' Clubs in London

The most exclusive spots for a morning meeting, sundowners by a rooftop pool or a secret rendezvous in Soho

By Ella Wills
Disrepute cocktail bar and members' club , Soho, London

ELLE takes you inside London's most talked-about members' clubs.

1

L'Escargot Club Privé

L'Escargot private members club prive green room
L'Escargot

LOCATION: Upstairs at L'Escargot, 48 Greek Street, Soho, London W1D 4EF

DON'T MISS: The monthly Supper Club. Join Seb Myers, former head chef at Chiltern Firehouse and Sager + Wilde, for two evenings of seasonal food on May 23 and 24. Menu includes Crisp Cabbage with Isle of Mull Scallop and Burnt Cream and Scottish Langoustine, Onions and Sorrel and Raspberries.

WHO GOES THERE: A favourite of Coco Chanel and later Mick Jagger, the Georgian townhouse with its elegant green dining room and top-floor Grand Siècle Salon Noir, complete with arched ceilings and baby grand piano, is now used by Soho's classiest creatives.

WHAT TO ORDER: Snails, the speciality of the house. If you visit on May 24 and order 12 snails, you will receive a free glass of Laurent Perrier in celebration of the restaurant's 90th anniversary.

WHEN TO GO: Wednesdays for lunch, which has been known to turn into drinks until midnight.

Memberships costs £365 a year.

2

Ned's Club

The Ned Ned's Club The Vault Bar, London
The Ned

LOCATION: Ned's Club, The Ned, 52-54 Gracechurch Street, London, EC3V 0EH

DON'T MISS: The Vault bar and lounge, housed in the old Midland Bank strongroom. The all-hours cocktail bar, hidden behind a 20-tonne door, is exclusively for members.

WHO GOES THERE: City slickers in search of the latest destination for breakfast meetings and after-work dinner/drinks.

WHAT TO ORDER: The Nedgroni of course (Bombay Sapphire gin, Kamm & Sons, Martini Rubino, Lanique Rose, grapefruit).

WHEN TO GO: Post-work to get carried away with friends and then fuel up at one of the nine restaurants in the global food court, which includes a new Cecconi's.

Membership starts from £1500 a year for under-30 founder members.

3

The Curtain

The Curtain Hotel, Restaurant and Members Club
The Curtain

LOCATION: The Curtain, 45 Curtain Road, London, EC2A 4PJ

DON'T MISS: The sundowner trolley that visits rooms from 5-7pm, before hitting LP, the live performance room in the style of New York's CBGB club (the birthplace of punk rock in the 1980s).

If you're off booze, try early morning yoga in the Ballroom, which holds over 350 people, or BOOM cycle classes held in LP.

WHO GOES THERE: Start-up investors on their way to/from Silicon Roundabout.

WHAT TO ORDER: A seafood platter and a cold glass of rosé at LIDO, the rooftop pool, bar and restaurant. The restaurant's plant-filled conservatory has a retractable glass roof: handy for the inevitable summer showers.

WHEN TO GO: Meet in the hotel's co-working spaces (open this autumn) before enjoying dinner and late-night drinks in the basement's Billy's Bar, where members get their own whisky cabinet.

Opening May 2017. Membership prices are currently unavailable.

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4

Disrepute

Martini, Disrepute members' bar Soho , London

LOCATION: Disrepute, 4 Kingly Court, Soho, W1B 5PW

DON'T MISS: The secluded booths, complete with pink-lined vaulted ceilings, make the perfect hideaway. The bar, formerly the Kingly Club and before that the Pinstripe Club in the 1960s, references its swinging past with shiny brass fittings and plush upholstery.

WHO GOES THERE: London's fashion pack who know there's more to Kingly Court that meets the eye.

WHAT TO ORDER: The English Rose (vodka, lemon, soda, Mateus rosé reduction with rose petal garnish), a throwback to the 1970s when the sparkling rosé was the drink of choice.

WHEN TO GO: For an after dinner drink in a dimly-lit corner.

Membership is £150 a year.

5

The House of St Barnabas

House of St Barnabus private members club drawing room
Mike Tinny, House of St Barnabus

LOCATION: The House of St Barnabas, 1 Greek Street, Soho Square, London, W1D 4NQ

DON'T MISS: Exhibitions by The Collective, the club's contemporary art programme, featuring pieces by The Chapman Brothers, Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst.

WHO GOES THERE: London's counter-culture elite, including Jarvis Cocker and Gilles Peterson, looking for socially-minded fun. The not-for-profit member's club funds a charity at the House, which trains people affected by homelessness in hospitality roles.

WHAT TO ORDER: Rib-eye steak or braised rabbit crusty-puff pie served al fresco in the secret garden, one of Soho's best outdoor spaces.

WHEN TO GO: On Saturday May 20, Worldwide Festival take over the House with acoustic music in the Chapel of St Barnabas, DJ sets and French-seaside street food in the courtyard.

Membership starts from £300 for under-30s with a suggested donation of £100 towards the charity.

6

Devonshire Club

Devonshire Club private members club
Devonshire Club

LOCATION: Devonshire Club, 5 Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4YD

DON'T MISS: The member events. Look out for a monthly 'Tech Mingle', jazz performances from Ronnie Scott's and the Club's first garden party on May 23, on the private terrace.

WHO GOES THERE: The City's most glamorous, looking for timeless luxury. The club occupies six floors of a 19th century Regency building and features elegant 1950s furnishings - plus a touch of Charles Rennie Mackintosh - within.

WHAT TO ORDER: Sample the The Devonshire Cup (the house take on traditional Pimm's).

WHEN TO GO: Monday evenings for a chance to networkat the Club Table in the Brasserie. Their eclectic seasonal menu ranges from British classics to fresh Mediterranean dishes and authentic Japanese Kobe beef.

Founder membership is £2,400 a year.

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7

12 Hay Hill

best private members clubs london
12 Hay Hill

LOCATION: 12 Hay Hill, London W1J 8NR

DON'T MISS: The incredible selection of art occupying all six floors of the Regency building. Managed by JNicholls Art Projects, the club houses over 60 pieces of art, often by young talent. Spot them early for a smart investment.

WHO GOES THERE: Glamorous Londoners and the jet-setting business crew. The basement bar has purposefully low lighting to help members flying in to acclimatise.

WHAT TO ORDER: Sample the The Devonshire Cup (the house take on traditional Pimm's).

WHEN TO GO: Monday evenings for a chance to network at the Club Table in the Brasserie. Their eclectic seasonal menu ranges from British classics to fresh Mediterranean dishes and authentic Japanese Kobe beef.

Memberships start at £2,040. Boutique office spaces from £6,500

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