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If you’re of a certain age, the words ‘Groucho Club’ might mean something to you. The famous Soho members-only club used to be the place to be seen – it was where you could catch Kate Moss rubbing shoulders with Lily Allen at the height of her noughties fame. The club’s existence is a hazy reminder of the bygone days when celebs actually used to do outrageous shit. It’s where Liam Gallagher was reportedly once thrown out for smashing a window, and where Damien Hirst put his £20,000 Turner Prize winnings behind the bar for other members to spend.
Today, it’s not the same story: the private club which opened in 1985 has just been shut down due to being allegedly linked to ‘serious crime’. Westminster City Council said it suspended the venue’s licence after a request from the Metropolitan Police, which is investigating a ‘serious criminal offence’ that took place at the club.
A council spokesperson said the licence suspension ‘follows reports that a serious crime may have taken place at the premises in circumstances linked to a breach in the premises licensing conditions.
‘The allegations are subject to an ongoing police investigation and we cannot comment further at this stage.’
The club has co-operated with the council’s licensing sub-committee, and a full hearing about the licence will be held within 28 days of when the police first submitted the application to review the licence.
Groucho sent an internal email to its staff. It said: ‘We are sorry to inform you that we have made the decision to temporarily close the club. We have received an application to review our licence which we take very seriously.
‘As a consequence, the club's licence has been suspended by agreement with Westminster City Council and we have made the decision to close the club pending a full hearing before Christmas.’
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