Comparison · 14 material differences
Somerset Club 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
Daderot · Wikimedia Commons · CC0Somerset Club
Not publicly disclosed. The club's public website consists of a home page, a member login and a guest-information page, and states nothing about who it admits.
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: Somerset Club: No published maximum age at joining; The Groucho Club: Under 35 rate band, described as "Age 35 and Under".
- Geographic restriction: Somerset Club: No published geographic restriction; The Groucho Club: Country and Overseas rates require the member to live outside London.
- Industry restriction: Somerset Club: No published industry restriction; The Groucho Club: Applicants from creative media and the arts are favoured.
- Annual dues: Somerset Club: Not publicly disclosed; The Groucho Club: £1,500 a year.
Side by side
| Somerset Club | The Groucho Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Private club | Private club |
| Founded | 1852 (The club publishes no history. Wikipedia traces informal origins to 1826 and a group called the Temple by the 1830s, and records that the club opened to members in 1852, first as the Beacon Club and renamed the Somerset Club that same year.) | 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 | Boston, United States | London, United Kingdom |
| Geographic footprint | Single clubhouse at 42 Beacon Street on Beacon Hill, combined with the adjoining house at 43 Beacon Street | 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 | Not publicly disclosed |
| Chapters | Single clubhouse; no chapters | 1 |
| Primary audience | Not publicly disclosed. The club's public website consists of a home page, a member login and a guest-information page, and states nothing about who it admits. | 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 | Not publicly disclosed. Wikipedia describes the club historically as a centre of Boston Brahmin families; the club publishes nothing about its present membership. | 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 | Not documented | Yes |
| Application process | No application process is published. The club's public site has no membership page, application form or membership contact. | 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 | Not publicly disclosedverified 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 | The club publishes no fee information and no reliable published reporting of a figure was located. | £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 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosed; no joining fee appears on the club's application portalverified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Membership term | Not documented | Annual, with a monthly payment option |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Not publicly disclosed | Clubhouse open daily; member events and private event hire |
| Peer forums | Not documented | Not documented |
| Confidentiality | No cell phones, listening or reading devices, or other electronic communications devices of any kind may be used in the dining and public areas of the club; members and guests may use Room 6 on the first floor for personal communication. Photography is permitted only with prior approval from the General Manager or Executive Committee, and then only for personal use. | 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 | 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 | Not documented | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Not documented | No |
| Leadership development | No | No |
| Retreats | No | No |
| Travel | Not documented | No |
| Family programming | Not documented | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | Not documented | No |
| Next-generation programming | Not documented | 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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Last verified: not yet reviewed
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: Somerset Club · The Groucho Club