Comparison · 8 material differences
Annabel's 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
Verified September 2026 Annabel's
Not publicly disclosed: the club publishes no eligibility criteria beyond routing applicants through an online application and a recommendation from an existing Birley club member
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
- Geographic restriction: Annabel's: No published geographic restriction; The Groucho Club: Country and Overseas rates require the member to live outside London.
- Industry restriction: Annabel's: No published industry restriction; The Groucho Club: Applicants from creative media and the arts are favoured.
- Annual dues: Annabel's: Full membership. Spear's reported £3,250 a year in May 2023; its January 2026 club guide gives £3,750. Annabel's does not publish rates.; The Groucho Club: £1,500 a year.
Side by side
| Annabel's | The Groucho Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Private club | Private club |
| Founded | 1963 (Founded by Mark Birley and named for his wife, Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart) | 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 46 Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London; part of the Birley Clubs group. A New York club has been announced but is not open. | 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 by the club. Wikipedia, drawing on press reporting, gives about 1,000 members with 14,000 on the waiting list as at 2018, and 9,000 members in 2005; none of these figures is current. | Not publicly disclosed |
| Chapters | 1 | 1 |
| Primary audience | Not publicly disclosed: the club publishes no eligibility criteria beyond routing applicants through an online application and a recommendation from an existing Birley club member | 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 as a socially prominent, international Mayfair membership. Wikipedia records that since the 2018 relocation membership has been allocated equally between men and women, and that 100 inheritable "Legacy" lifetime memberships exist, a quarter of them held by US residents. | Historically writers, publishers, broadcasters, musicians and artists. The club publishes no occupational test on its public pages. |
| Qualification | ||
| Maximum age at joining | Reduced under-35 membership rateSpear's reports an under-35 rate; Wikipedia records separate tiers for under 27, under 35 and over 35. The club does not publish the bands.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | 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 | No | No |
| Sponsor required | Yes | Yes |
| Application process | Applications are made through the Birley Clubs membership portal linked from the club's own site. Spear's reports that the online form is the only official route, that applicants provide a recent headshot and proof of age, and that a letter of recommendation from an existing Birley club member is required. The club publishes nothing about committee review or timescales. | 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. Spear's cites 2018 Barron's reporting that 14,000 prospective members were then seeking admission; no current figure is published. | Not publicly disclosed |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | Full membership. Spear's reported £3,250 a year in May 2023; its January 2026 club guide gives £3,750. Annabel's does not publish rates.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 | Annabel's publishes no rate card. All figures are from reliable secondary reporting and are dated in the note; treat the older ones as superseded. | £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 | Joining fee for full membership. Spear's reported £1,750 in May 2023 and £1,850 in January 2026.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosed; no joining fee appears on the club's application portalverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Membership term | Annual subscription | Annual, with a monthly payment option |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Clubhouse open daily into the early hours; parties and seasonal events | Clubhouse open daily; member events and private event hire |
| Peer forums | Not documented | Not documented |
| Confidentiality | Not publicly disclosed | 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 | Partial | No |
| Next-generation programming | No | No |
| Investment discussions | No | No |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | Partial | Not documented |
| Networking emphasis | Low | Medium |
| Social emphasis | High | High |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: Annabel's · The Groucho Club