April 3 (Bloomberg) --
The Ivy, London's most famous celebrity restaurant, is to
open a members' retreat from the eyes of ordinary diners
who may wait six months for a table
The invitation-only club above the eatery will be so private
that even the doorway will be disguised.
``The entrance, discreetly hidden within an anonymous flower
boutique on West Street, has a glass elevator,'' the club
says in a letter sent to those invited to join. ``The three
distinct floors represent the most significant addition
to private members' clubs and to London's social and cultural
life in decades.''
No shortage of hyperbole then. Keiran Terry, general manager,
in a telephone interview yesterday, confirmed the Club at
the Ivy is scheduled to open in June or July. He wouldn't
discuss the project and said the Ivy, owned by Caprice Holdings
Ltd., doesn't plan any publicity.
Members will be charged 1,000 pounds ($1,980) a year, or
10,000 pounds for life. It's unclear if celebrities will
be required to pay. Apart from the pleasure of arriving
via a hidden lift, members may eat in the bar, read in the
library or entertain clients with a film screening in the
club room, the letter says.
``The flexibility of the main drawing room also extends
to include seating for up to fifty covers for lunch and
dinner, heralding the most exclusive dining experience in
London,'' it says. ``Members will also have access to a
wonderful collection of books brought together for the Club
by a specialist bookseller.''
Caprice Eateries
Caprice Holdings is owned by the entrepreneur Richard Caring,
who last year acquired the Birley Group, adding Annabel's,
Harry's Bar and Mark's Club to his holdings. Apart from
the Ivy, Caprice Holdings eateries include Le Caprice, J.
Sheekey and Scott's.
Caring bought a majority stake in another club operator,
Soho House U.K. Ltd., the Times reported in January. Caring
didn't immediately return a call to his office yesterday
seeking comment. The Caprice Web site mentions plans for
the Club at the Ivy without giving details.
That other celebrity hangout, the Groucho Club, charges
550 pounds to join and an annual fee of the same amount.
Applicants need two sponsors and there's an 18-month waiting
list. The Groucho, a five-minute stagger from the Ivy, has
4,000 members.
Yesterday afternoon, the Ivy was covered in scaffolding.
Work visible at ground level was concentrated at one end
of the building, next to the former premises of a business
called Visualeyes. A single construction worker stood outside.
``Is this the secret entrance to the Club at the Ivy?''
I asked. ``Is that hole in the wall going to accommodate
the glass elevator that will be hidden within an anonymous
flower boutique and transport members to a world of sophistication?''
He looked me in the eye and stared at me. The silence was
Pinteresque. Finally, he spoke. ``No speak English.''
The secret of the Club at the Ivy is safe.
(Richard Vines is London food critic for Bloomberg News.
The opinions expressed are his own. He's a member of the
Groucho.)
To contact the writer of this story: Richard Vines in London
at rvines@bloomberg.net.
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