The Groucho Club bought from a group of investors comprising Alcuin Capital Partners, ICG Enterprise Trust and Isfield Investments, together with a number of private investors.
Other ventures in Artfarm’s portfolio include the Fife Arms in Braemar, Roth Bar & Grill in Somerset, Manuela in Los Angeles and the soon-to-open Audley Public House and Mount St. Restaurant and Rooms in Mayfair.
Billing itself as a creatively-focused, independent hospitality business, Artfarm says its focus is adapting and reinventing ‘unique sites and bringing people together through art, culture and hospitality’.
Founded in 1985 by a group of women publishers as an alternative to London’s male-dominated private members clubs, The Groucho Club has a storied history, home to many famous artists and cultural figures. Its name derives from the famous Groucho Marx line: “I don’t want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member”.
The Groucho Club is where long-time member Damien Hirst celebrated his Turner Prize by putting his £20,000 winnings behind the bar. It is where Bono once sang “Happy Birthday” to Bill Clinton around a piano that had been painted by Peter Blake. It was where Francis Bacon, Jeffrey Bernard and other Soho notables held court.
Founder member Stephen Fry established the club’s rules, which included banning mobile phones in the bar and the more esoteric instruction: “The wearing of string vests is fully unacceptable… there is enough distress in the world already”.
“As a member for some time myself, I understand the special place the Groucho occupies in London’s cultural landscape,” says Artfarm CEO Ewan Venters.
“Under Artfarm’s ownership, the future of the club is assured. We will respect the history and traditions of the club, and we look forward to engaging with its membership to create a long-term future for the Groucho that builds on its eclectic appeal and maverick ethos.”
Nick Hurrell, chairman of The Groucho Club, added: “I am delighted that we have reached agreement with Artfarm, who are the perfect owners for the Groucho. Their mix of cultural engagement, pedigree in art and excellence in hospitality sits very well with the particular spirit of a members’ club that has been an important part of London’s cultural life for many years. To our 5,000 members around the world, I’d say that the future has never looked brighter. ”
Artfarm was founded in 2014 by Iwan and Manuela Wirth, co-founders of the internationally-respected art gallery Hauser & Wirth.
