From securing high-profile deals and bumping into celebrities, to buying clothes from strangers to honour the strict dress code, members’ surreal experiences have marked Mayfair club Annabel’s as a place that puts the people in property.
But not even its iconic status and an illustrious history of industry mavericks rubbing shoulders with Hollywood stars – and once even the Queen – makes the venue impervious to change.
“When Annabel’s was founded in 1963, it was an extraordinarily disruptive thing to have done. We are retaining the essence of the original club and infusing it with a new dynamic,” says Rebecca Burdess, membership director at Annabel’s.
Burdess is referring to restauranteur Richard Caring’s lavish £55m revamp, which will see the club moving to bigger premises at neighbouring 46 Berkeley Square, W1, and go from an 8,000 sq ft subterranean disco to a 32,000 sq ft all day and night venue to open at the end of November.
The move is a response to the new way people engage with property, demanding more buildings to be “smart” and multidisciplinary.
Burdess adds: “People work and socialise in different ways to how they did in the sixties and we all spend our time in different ways. We are conscious of creating a space that reflects that.
In this digital age, we all work 24 hours a day and the new club will be open for 21 hours, from 7am to 4am. When we are working, living, socialising and playing, we do so in quite a connected way.”
She continues: “There is a clear focus on technology in the building. It is not only a beautiful space but also a useful space where members will want to be in ten years.”
Where there were once strict rules to leave phones and laptops at the door, now Annabel’s will cater for a new generation of flexible workers.
An influx of trendy co-working spaces, business clubs and a new generation of members clubs catering to emerging disruptors in the industry has injected more competition into the market.
Guillaume Glipa, executive director at Carings’ Birley Group, says: “From a work perspective we will be using the best technology in terms of connectivity, lighting, layout, cleverly and meticulously installed so as not to interfere with the overall design aesthetic. It is going to be very clever.
“That said, ‘working’ and business meetings will be possible in only a part of the club, the rest of the club is dedicated to dining, socialising and having a great time.
“The top floor accessible to members will have a more casual restaurant and it is there that working during the day will be encouraged.”
He adds that the interior will feature natural mortifs and explores the idea of different gardens such as the English garden, the Garden of Eden and an Asian garden.
There will be a nightclub in the basement, with a restaurant, bar, alcoves, adjustable dancefloor and the Mirror Room. The ground floor will feature a garden room and connecting garden terrace, with a self-cleaning and retractable glass roof, internal and external bar.
The first floor will house the main bar, which will have its own DJ and two private dining rooms, one looking out over Berkeley Square, while the other will look across the garden terrace. There is also talk of a sustainable “smart bar” on the premises where ingredients for drinks can be made on site.
But adapting a listed building to modern use is not always simple and Glipa says the design process took two years.
“Using the latest architectural techniques isn’t the priority – conservation and preservation is,” he says.
“We are very lucky to have a Grade I listed building but, at the same time, there are a few restrictions, which is the biggest challenge in being in harmony with our vision.”
He remains confident that members will choose the club despite competition from other venues in Mayfair.
“When you put together a performance, it is all about delivering the best experience to the guests. It is like making a movie; you need to find the main actors, the amazing extras, costume designers, chefs. I believe to be the best, it is more than just the best food and wine – we are entertainers.”
The property perspective
Robert Tchenguiz: “A nice memory I have of Annabel’s is my 50th birthday. Richard [Caring] said he would take me to a local restaurant and we would just have dinner, him and I. He picked me up at my house and said ‘let’s stop into Annabel’s for one second’. I went downstairs and there were 250 of my friends that he had flown in from all over the world – all over for just for the one night. All the main hitters in property go there; it is great for dinner or if you want a little bit of dancing; you can mix the two. Now there isn’t much available where men are in jackets and women are well-dressed. The new Annabel’s will be phenomenal – it is going to be the place to be.”
Dan Van Gelder, Exemplar: “To say that transactions are finalised at 3am would be true, but also it’s quite good fun and where some of the more surreal moments of your life happen – I remember standing in loo and having Prince come in, or going there with Natalie Imbruglia. Annabel’s is really important to the industry because where else can you go at midnight and have a good time? The best relationships are forged after dinner when you find out about people. Real estate is about long-term relationships – I’ve conducted too many deals there to think about. You go there and you bump into everyone and always know they are good people. You don’t want it to turn into another Soho House-type venue, which feels like a commercial business. Annabel’s is owned by Caprice but it still feels like your club.”
Matthew Bonning-Snook, Helical: “The whole of the property industry was historically based around Bekeley Square and Annabel’s was on the doorstep. I have ended up spending quite a bit of time trying to get my guests in appropriate clothing. The last time I went there, there weren’t enough spare jackets and one of my guests ended up buying a jacket from a passer-by for £150, which was relatively cheap compared to the bottle of wine he bought later. Another time, we were watching Leona Lewis and sat next to us was Michael Ballack, so we ended up talking about football for the entire evening.”
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