Comparison · 3 material differences
5 Hertford Street vs Annabel's
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
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
What the records say
- Maximum age at joining — 5 Hertford Street: No published maximum age at joining; Annabel's: Reduced under-35 membership rate.
- 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.; 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..
Side by side
| 5 Hertford Street | Annabel's | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Private club | Private club |
| Founded | 2012 (Opened in 2012 by Robin Birley, son of Annabel's founder Mark Birley) | 1963 (Founded by Mark Birley and named for his wife, Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart) |
| 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 46 Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London; part of the Birley Clubs group. A New York club has been announced but is not open. |
| 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 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. |
| 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 publicly disclosed — the club publishes no eligibility criteria beyond routing applicants through an online application and a recommendation from an existing Birley club member |
| 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. | 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. |
| Qualification | ||
| Maximum age at joining | No published 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 ↗ |
| 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. | 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. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosed. Spear's cites 2018 Barron's reporting that 14,000 prospective members were then seeking admission; no current figure is published. |
| 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 ↗ | 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 ↗ |
| Initiation fee | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 | Joining fee for full membership. Spear's reported £1,750 in May 2023 and £1,850 in January 2026.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Membership term | Not publicly disclosed | Annual subscription |
| 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 into the early hours; parties and seasonal events |
| Peer forums | Not documented | Not documented |
| Confidentiality | Not publicly disclosed; the club is widely described in reporting as discouraging photography and publicity | Not publicly disclosed |
| 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 | No |
| 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 | Partial |
| Next-generation programming | No | No |
| Investment discussions | No | No |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | Not documented | Partial |
| Networking emphasis | Low | Low |
| Social emphasis | High | High |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: 5 Hertford Street · Annabel's