Comparison · 8 material differences
5 Hertford Street vs The Groucho Club
This comparison was generated on request from the records. It carries no editorial verdict and is not indexed. The published comparisons are listed on the compare page.
Read down each column for one organization, across a row for the difference. A bronze mark at the left of a cell means the organizations differ on that row. A dash or “not published” means the organization does not disclose the fact — it is not a zero.
Verified September 2026 Private club
No Swan So Fine · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.05 Hertford Street
Not publicly disclosed — the club's public website carries no membership information beyond a contact address for the membership office
Private club
The Groucho Club
Not stated in the club's own words on its public pages. Wikipedia records that the club favours applicants from creative media and the arts, the constituency it was founded to…
What the records say
- Maximum age at joining — 5 Hertford Street: No published maximum age at joining; The Groucho Club: Under 35 rate band, described as "Age 35 and Under".
- Geographic restriction — 5 Hertford Street: No published geographic restriction; The Groucho Club: Country and Overseas rates require the member to live outside London.
- Industry restriction — 5 Hertford Street: No published industry restriction; The Groucho Club: Applicants from creative media and the arts are favoured.
- Annual dues — 5 Hertford Street: Reported figures conflict: Spear's put the annual subscription at £1,800 ("Members pay a modest £1,800 a year") in a 2022 article updated in 2023, while Wikipedia cites £3,500. The club publishes nothing.; The Groucho Club: £1,500 a year.
Side by side
| 5 Hertford Street | The Groucho Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Private club | Private club |
| Founded | 2012 (Opened in 2012 by Robin Birley, son of Annabel's founder Mark Birley) | 1985 (Opened on 5 May 1985 at 45 Dean Street, Soho; named after Groucho Marx's remark about not wanting to belong to a club that would have him as a member) |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom | London, United Kingdom |
| Geographic footprint | One clubhouse at 2-5 Hertford Street, Mayfair, London, incorporating the basement club Loulou's and the restaurant Nico's | One clubhouse at 45 Dean Street, Soho, London; a second site at Bretton Hall in Yorkshire was announced in March 2024 |
| Members | Not publicly disclosed. Spear's reports that the club opened with 500 original members assembled with Hugh Warrender's help; no current figure is published. | Not publicly disclosed |
| Chapters | 1 | 1 |
| Primary audience | Not publicly disclosed — the club's public website carries no membership information beyond a contact address for the membership office | Not stated in the club's own words on its public pages. Wikipedia records that the club favours applicants from creative media and the arts, the constituency it was founded to serve. |
| Typical member | Reported by Spear's as tracing a membership genealogy back to the founding group, described in that account as predominantly English public-school in background, alongside figures from entertainment, business and politics named in press coverage. | Historically writers, publishers, broadcasters, musicians and artists. The club publishes no occupational test on its public pages. |
| Qualification | ||
| Maximum age at joining | No published maximum age at joining | Under 35 rate band, described as "Age 35 and Under"Members aged 36 and over pay the London rateverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Geographic restriction | No published geographic restriction | Country and Overseas rates require the member to live outside LondonThe portal labels the band "COUNTRY | OVERSEAS (Must live outside of London)"verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Industry restriction | No published industry restriction | Applicants from creative media and the arts are favouredRecorded by Wikipedia; not stated by the club on its public pagesverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Invitation required | Not documented | No |
| Sponsor required | Yes | Yes |
| Application process | There is no public application form. The club's guest information page gives a membership telephone number and the address membership@5hertfordstreet.com. Spear's reports that candidates need two letters of recommendation from existing members and then sit a short interview with a club secretary. | The club's homepage offers "Apply for Membership" and "Register Interest" routes; the application portal at apply.thegrouchoclub.com asks the applicant to select one of four rate bands and proceed. Wikipedia records a requirement for two existing members to propose an applicant. The club publishes no committee, interview or timescale detail. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosed |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | Reported figures conflict: Spear's put the annual subscription at £1,800 ("Members pay a modest £1,800 a year") in a 2022 article updated in 2023, while Wikipedia cites £3,500. The club publishes nothing.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | £1,500 a yearLondon membership (age 36 and over): "Annual Rate: £1,500", or £125 per monthverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Monthly dues | Could not be independently verified. The club publishes no rates and the secondary figures in circulation are inconsistent. | £73–125 a monthMonthly payment option across the four bands, from £73.33 (Under 35 and Overseas) to £125 (London)verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 | Not publicly disclosed; no joining fee appears on the club's application portalverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Membership term | Not publicly disclosed | Annual, with a monthly payment option |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Open Monday to Saturday from 7am (noon on Saturday) until 1am to 3am depending on the day; closed Sundays | Clubhouse open daily; member events and private event hire |
| Peer forums | Not documented | Not documented |
| Confidentiality | Not publicly disclosed; the club is widely described in reporting as discouraging photography and publicity | Under conditions agreed with the Metropolitan Police in December 2024 the club tightened procedures on the admission of members and guests and the recording of who is on the premises |
| Time commitment | Not documented | Not documented |
| Organized as | Clubhouse premises, Event-focused | Clubhouse premises, Event-focused |
| Confidential peer forums | No | No |
| Local chapters | No | No |
| Virtual membership | No | No |
| Online community | No | Not documented |
| Member directory | Not documented | Not documented |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | No | No |
| Leadership development | No | No |
| Retreats | No | No |
| Travel | No | No |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | Not documented | No |
| Next-generation programming | No | No |
| Investment discussions | No | No |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | Not documented | Not documented |
| Networking emphasis | Low | Medium |
| Social emphasis | High | High |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: 5 Hertford Street · The Groucho Club