Founded in 1985 as a club open to all genders and known for its exclusivity and wild antics, The Groucho Club in London has had its license suspended due to a serious crime, with no further details provided by the authorities or the club itself. Once frequented by celebrities like Princess Diana, Kate Moss, and Ant & Dec, the club was founded by a group of publishing heavyweights looking to create a new kind of creative space. Over the years, the club’s reputation for parties and debauchery grew, with stories of famous faces and legendary encounters becoming part of its lore. In recent years, the club has faced criticism from longtime members for losing its unique charm and becoming overly commercialized. The club’s decline was further signaled by the retirement of its well-known front-of-house manager, Bernie Katz, and a subsequent increase in membership fees in 2018.
In 2022, the club was sold to Artfarm for a reported £40m, and discontent among members has continued to grow, with some declaring the club “almost dead.” As a once-iconic venue for London’s glitterati, The Groucho Club’s current status remains uncertain as it faces mounting challenges and a tarnished legacy.
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