I visited an exclusive members club, and this is what I thought.

London is home to some of the most exclusive private members’ clubs in the world. Gentleman’s clubs date back to the 17^th century with one of the first founded in 1693, a club that is still in use today. Since their birth, such clubs have experienced many changes and developments in general values. Alternative, more diverse clubs have also been introduced to the scene since their arrival, many with a focus on individuals in creative industries as opposed to only businessmen. Many clubs have also shifted away from any political focus, with clubs such as Brooks’s club and Boodle’s club being primarily social and non-political.

Despite the majority of these being for men only (insert eyeroll), women’s only clubs have also been introduced into this exclusive scene. Some of the most notable being AllBright, Fiena, The Merit Club and The Wing (amongst a few others), are known to be brilliant environments for businesswomen, singles, mothers, and every woman in between, to come together, build connects and share their thoughts and experiences.

Over the last few months, I have had the opportunity of visiting a few of these clubs London currently has to offer. Visiting both a gentleman’s only club as well as a ‘co-ed’ club, I have been overcome by various thoughts and takeaways from my experiences.

The first club I visited was the infamous Soho House. Soho House has a total of 42 houses and 75 total sites, spread across almost 20 countries, with their headquarters situated in Dean Street, Soho London. With a current count of 185,000 members, CNN reported Soho House to have stopped accepting new applicants in some cities due to complaints of ‘overcrowding’. The Soho House founder Nick Jones revealed that, as of 2024, Soho House will “only be accepting members in locations where we have capacity”.

But is a membership even worth it?

There are many hot takes on Soho House circulating platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, attaching the club to a certain sense of prestige, laughable by those outside of its circle. Podcasters such as Joel Kirby and Jacob Ward, hosts of ‘All Gains No Game”, chatted about how, since getting a membership, the name ‘Soho House’ has become a ‘personality trait’ with the tendency to ‘try and get it into every conversation’. Other influencers such as ‘aliceisgratified’ on TikTok, a previous Soho House member, has also described the environment as an ‘elitist’, ‘who here is better than me’ place, straying far away from its original base being an affordable place for creatives to meet, network and collaborate.

As far as I can tell, all of the above is spot on. I have visited 40 Greek Street, Shoreditch House and Electric House for dinners, drinks, events and an overnight stay. Each house was different, of course. Ranging in interior design, architecture, facilities and location, but they all seemed to have this recurring feel of snobbery. On each occasion, whether it was during the day or evening, the majority of guests were decked out in designer clothing, had gorgeously curated jewellery and sipped delicately on their drinks as if in the presence of the queen. Members there also seem to enter the house as if they have just escaped the paparazzi on their way to an Oscars afterparty. Whether they glide in like a swan or pout their lips, sunglasses glued to their face, you can always tell who a member is and who is a guest by their first, what I like to call, ‘Soho House runway strut’. All this being considered, as far as the service and staff go, I have to admit to their success. When having dinner, my food arrived at my placemat in record time. I think I tasted the best squash gnocchi I have ever devoured, and the wine was admittedly delicious. Every staff member was welcoming and helpful, and never showed the extent of stress I am sure they are subject to on every shift.

Overall, I would say two things about Soho House. Number one, I love the interior, food and drink and service provided across every location I have visited. Number two, everything thing you here about Soho House members is true, but I can’t help but secretly also want to be a part of their group.

As for the gentleman’s club I visited, that’s a whole other story.

As I entered the East India Club located in St James Square, my mind was immediately reminded of the hallowed halls of my old boarding school. Red velvet carpets and grand staircases, it was everything you would expect of such an aged establishment. Gentlemen in smart suits waited by the door to escort me in, guiding me into the main dining room. Immediately the room reeked of cigars. I smell I despise. Old men sat, manspreading, around circular tables, chuckling with one another in deep, posh tones, gesturing to the wait staff to bring more drinks.

I didn’t stay for long, as for me, the atmosphere eared with sexism and traditional beliefs, neither of which I care to indulge in any way. Most historians believe the gentlemen’s clubs were created to allow men to relax and network with other men. In the 19^th and 20^th centuries, clubs were regarded as a central part of elite men’s lives. Over time such clubs relaxed this gendered rule, allowing some women to visit as ‘guests’ of existing members. However, certain clubs, such as the infamous ‘Whites’ club, home to the Prince of Wales and King Charles III, continue to maintain their tradition as an establishment exclusive to gentlemen, with brief exceptions made for the visits of Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and 2016.

I believe these clubs to be breeding grounds for the perpetuation of sexist ideologies. Privileged men sit lazily around tables for an escape? What escape. In what way do these men experience suppression or hardship in their daily lives? However, I guess this opinion may equally spread to any of these exclusive clubs. The saying ‘to make money you have to have money’, in my opinion, is all too true in our current world. I’m not saying it is impossible to build success coming from nothing, but when the upper class are only socialising and networking with the upper class, it makes it pretty hard for them to share their fortune in helping someone lower up the ladder.

Private clubs have their pros and cons, I much prefer the newer, modernised versions as opposed to the traditional gentleman’s clubs, and I would honestly consider being a part of clubs such as House of Koko (a cooler Soho House in my opinion) if the opportunity arises, despite my slandering. We all secretly want to be a part of these societies. We all fantasize about living a Saltburn life, I guess there are just certain areas I would recommend avoiding at all costs.