Famous London club shuts down after police probe into mystery incident
A well-known Soho members-only spot faces unexpected closure following serious police inquiry. The historic club - home to countless celebs and artists had to stop its operations right before holiday season
The iconic Groucho Club in Soho has shut-down after Westminster City Council suspended its licence due to a police investigation into an un-disclosed serious crime
In a quick-response email to its members Elli Jafari (the clubs chief exec) wrote about the temporary closure; noting theyʼre taking the licence review very seriously. The timing hits hard as the venue enters its busiest holiday period
The club which costs up-to £1500 yearly has been a creative-persons hangout since the mid-80s: its got quite a guest list including Harry Styles Stephen Fry and Cara Delevingne. The place (named after Groucho Marxʼs famous membership quote) started as a fresh take on Londons stuffy mens clubs
Some fun-facts about past events at the spot:
* Damien Hirst got banned for showing too much skin after putting his prize money behind the bar
* They said no to Al Pacino and Eric Clapton at the door
* Kate Moss George Michael and even Bill Clinton partied there
The art-focused venue changed hands bout 2 years ago when Artfarm bought it for £40m - its their third owner in almost 40 years. Theyʼve got big plans too with a new spot opening up-north at Bretton Hall round 2026
A council rep explained: the decision came after Met Police request and the operators agreement - theyʼre looking into possible licence condition breaks. The club has been working with officials but details of whats happened stay under wraps for now
