Artfarm, the independent, creative-focussed hospitality business, has acquired The Groucho Club, the world-famous private members club.
The Groucho, located in the heart of Soho, has acted as a hub for the arts, literature and media community in London for almost 40 years.
It joins venues such as the Fife Arms in Braemar, Roth Bar & Grill in Somerset, Manuela in Los Angeles and the soon-to-open Audley Public House and Mount St. Restaurant and Rooms in London’s Mayfair, as part of the Artfarm portfolio.
Artfarm is owned by Manuela and Iwan Wirth, and has a mission to adapt and reinvent unique sites and bring people together through art, culture and hospitality.
The business acquired The Groucho Club from a group of investors comprising Alcuin Capital Partners, ICG Enterprise Trust and Isfield Investments, together with a number of private investors.
Founded in 1985 by a group of women publishers as an alternative to London’s male-dominated private members clubs, The Groucho Club has a storied history, home to many famous artists and cultural figures.
Its name derives from the famous Groucho Marx line - “I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member” - and, down the years, that maverick spirit has been kept alive by successive generations of members.
The Groucho is where long-time member Damien Hirst celebrated his Turner Prize by putting his £20,000 winnings behind the bar. It is where Bono once sang “Happy Birthday” to Bill Clinton around a piano that had been painted by Peter Blake. It was where Francis Bacon, Jeffrey Bernard and other Soho notables held court.
Founder member Stephen Fry established the club’s rules, which included banning mobile phones in the bar and the more esoteric instruction: “The wearing of string vests is fully unacceptable…there is enough distress in the world already”. These rules are still enforced today.
Ewan Venters, CEO of Artfarm, said: “As a member for some time myself, I understand the special place the Groucho occupies in London’s cultural landscape. Under Artfarm’s ownership, the future of the club is assured. We will respect the history and traditions of the club, and we look forward to engaging with its membership to create a long-term future for the Groucho that builds on its eclectic appeal and maverick ethos. I think Artfarm and the Groucho are, in many ways, kindred spirits, and I am excited at the prospect of welcoming members old and new to this legendary London club.”
Nick Hurrell, chairman of The Groucho Club, said: “I am delighted that we have reached agreement with Artfarm, who are the perfect owners for the Groucho. Their mix of cultural engagement, pedigree in art and excellence in hospitality sits very well with the particular spirit of a members’ club that has been an important part of London’s cultural life for many years. To our 5,000 members around the world, I’d say that the future has never looked brighter.”
