{"id":77954,"date":"2025-08-19T14:33:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T14:33:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/77954\/"},"modified":"2025-08-19T14:33:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T14:33:13","slug":"how-soho-house-became-the-chicest-venue-for-high-society-hedonism-private-club-was-kate-moss-party-spot-of-choice-hosted-harry-and-meghans-first-date-and-even-turned-away-kim-kardashian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/77954\/","title":{"rendered":"How Soho House became the chicest venue for high society hedonism! Private club was Kate Moss’ party spot of choice, hosted Harry and Meghan’s first date and even turned away Kim Kardashian"},"content":{"rendered":"

It began as a networking destination for ‘creatives’, but Soho House quickly became a favorite hangout for celebrities such as\u00a0Liam Gallagher<\/a> and model Kate Moss<\/a>\u00a0to let down their hair and enjoy a lavish night out on the town.<\/p>\n

Opened in 1995 in London by Nick Jones, who is married to TV and radio presenter Kirsty Young, the\u00a0private members’ club\u00a0worked on attracting creative clientele instead of the bankers and financiers that dominated other social clubs.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It appeared to be a huge success, and\u00a0Jones\u2019s brand of louche luxury combined with great service has seen famous faces such as\u00a0Tom Cruise<\/a>, Taylor Swift<\/a> and Dua Lipa<\/a>, rush to be a part of the ever-expanding club.<\/p>\n

Prince Harry<\/a> and Meghan Markle even had their first date at a Soho House in London in July 2016, while before her wedding in 2018, the Duchess of Sussex<\/a> was said to have enjoyed a stay at\u00a0Soho’s Cotswolds Farmhouse, dubbed the \u2018Butlins for toffs\u2019.<\/p>\n

A membership at the club, priced at around\u00a0\u00a31,500 for global access,\u00a0is thought to be a must-have for many of the world’s elite – yet the chain is known to\u00a0‘highly selective’ about who it accepts as members.<\/p>\n

For instance, Kim\u00a0Kardashian\u00a0was famously thought to have been denied membership at the brand’s West Hollywood venue (after they enforced a \u2018creativity over net worth\u2019 policy). It’s unknown whether the reality TV star has since been made a member.<\/p>\n

Now with locations in New York,\u00a0Miami, Austin, Chicago<\/a> as well as Bangkok, Hong Kong<\/a>, Barcelona and Paris, the brand shows no signs of slowing down.<\/p>\n

Further proof that the club’s glory days are far from behind them is the announcement that the company is going\u00a0private again in a $2.7billion (\u00a32billion) deal led by New York-based MCR Hotels.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"It <\/p>\n

It began as a networking destination for ‘creatives’, but Soho House quickly became a favorite hangout for celebrities such as Liam Gallagher and model Kate Moss (pictured in 2015 at Soho House with Rita Ora) to let down their hair and enjoy a lavish night out on the town<\/p>\n

A raft of existing shareholders, including Ron Burkle, Ivy Collection boss Richard Caring and founder Nick Jones, will retain their stakes in the company.<\/p>\n

A-list actor-turned-tech investor Ashton Kutcher will also invest in Soho House as part of the deal and will join the firm’s board of directors.<\/p>\n

Founded by Nick Jones, the entrepreneur husband of Desert Island Discs presenter Kirsty Young, Soho House has for two decades been held up as the epitome of louche British cool.<\/p>\n

Formed in\u00a01995\u00a0on London’s Greek Street, the club started as a single space for local artists and actors to gather above Jones’s restaurant Cafe Boheme.<\/p>\n

It has since turned into a sprawling global empire whose fans include socialites and celebrities from George and Amal Clooney to Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.<\/p>\n

‘We wanted it to be creative and like-minded, and, for people who were at ease with themselves,’ Jones said in a 2017 interview.<\/p>\n

It quickly expanded to clubs elsewhere in London, and opened its first US club in New York in 2003.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In 2008, Jones sold an 80 per cent stake in the club to British businessman Richard Caring for $144 million. Four years later in 2012, US billionaire Ron Burkle bought 50 per cent of the company from Caring and Jones.<\/p>\n

\"Prince <\/p>\n

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle even had their first date at a Soho House in London in July 2016 (pictured)<\/p>\n

\"Ellie <\/p>\n

Ellie Goulding, Taylor Swift, Nick Grimshaw and Matt Healy attend the Universal Music Brits party at Soho House in London in 2015<\/p>\n

\"Downton <\/p>\n

Downton Abbey stars Joanne Froggatt and Sophie McShera looked a tad worse for wear as they left the wrap party for the drama’s film adaptation in November 2018, and made their way to Soho House in London<\/p>\n

Since then, the company has ramped up its expansion plans, and began offering workspaces and health products under its lifestyle brand Cowshed.<\/p>\n

In 2010, it opened its first Los Angeles club, and immediately became a celebrity spotters paradise.<\/p>\n

The Hollywood Reporter called it ‘the most important club in Hollywood – a high-wattage magnet for A-listers and dealmakers’, in 2015.<\/p>\n

The club forbids the taking of photos of VIP celebrity guests with phone cameras. One couple who surreptitiously tried to get guests David and Victoria Beckham into the background of their selfie had their memberships revoked.<\/p>\n

Now boasting 46 Soho Houses, the\u00a0clubs often include communal areas, restaurants and cafes with some boasting cinemas and swimming pools.<\/p>\n

Movie stars including Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie have been spotted at the venues, while Kate Moss is reportedly a member.<\/p>\n

One of the New York locations was once featured in an episode of Sex and the City, when Samantha Jones, unable to get off the waiting list, posed as a member to gain pool access for her and her friends.<\/p>\n

Members are forbidden from identifying fellow members on social media. (They’re not even allowed to describe Soho House events on social media.)<\/p>\n

\"Lady <\/p>\n

Lady Gaga leaving the Soho House in London in August 2009<\/p>\n

\"Cat \"Angelina <\/p>\n

Cat Deeley pictured left arriving at the Soho House in Mayfair in September 2024. Pictured right, Angelina Jolie spotted leaving Soho House in\u00a0October 2024 in London<\/p>\n

\"Princess <\/p>\n

Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice\u00a0seen on a night out leaving Soho House on December 20, 2017 in London<\/p>\n

Soho House previously paused new memberships during the coronavirus pandemic to allow people to socially distance at its clubs.<\/p>\n

There was also an effort to cull some members to capture its founding spirit and attract more creatives.<\/p>\n

The company announced it was purging 1,000 members in 2010 from its New York house with Jones saying he was ‘trying to get the club back to its creative roots.’<\/p>\n

‘When I went there, it didn\u2019t have the right feel anymore. It has always been a creative, friendly place with a relaxed feel,’ he said. ‘If there are too many corporate types around then that atmosphere doesn\u2019t occur.’<\/p>\n

The application process to become a member is comprehensive, requiring prospective members to provide a biography, explain what they can contribute and whether they already know existing members.<\/p>\n

The club has a membership committee of those who already have access which make the call on who may join.<\/p>\n

Membership at the venues is famously exclusive and\u00a0is now seen as a coveted status symbol for jet-setting international ‘creatives’.<\/p>\n

The Soho House website explains: ‘Unlike other members’ clubs, which often focus on wealth and status, we aim to assemble communities of members that have something in common: namely, a creative soul.’<\/p>\n

\"Chris <\/p>\n

Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger seen on a night out leaving Soho House on January 30, 2019 in London<\/p>\n

\"Harry \"James <\/p>\n

Harry Styles leaves Soho House following the ‘One Direction This Is Us’ World Premiere on August 20, 2013 in London, pictured left. Pictured right,\u00a0James Corden leaving Soho House in 2018<\/p>\n

\"Suki <\/p>\n

Suki Waterhouse, Georgia May Jagger and Immy Waterhouse attend the UGG Classic Escape to celebrate the iconic Classic Boot at Soho Farmhouse on October 1, 2015 in Chipping Norton<\/p>\n

Founder Jones stepped down from the day-to-day running of the company in\u00a02022 as he recovered from prostate cancer.<\/p>\n

Staying on in a founder role, he said at the time he had been ‘spending a lot more time in our houses’ as he has the ‘space to focus more attention on the clubs themselves.’<\/p>\n

Jones said: ‘Over the last 27 years I have run Soho House and more recently MCG by always putting members at the heart of everything we do. I am so proud of what we have achieved and grateful to all the teams who have helped us get to where we are today.<\/p>\n

‘I am going back to doing what I did for many, years, which is the reason I went into business, giving people a good time, getting people to meet new people and creating lovely spaces.’<\/p>\n

Jones grew up in Cobham, Surrey, and went to Shiplake College, a boarding school in Oxfordshire. When he left school at 17 he decided on a career in catering as he was ‘obsessed with food’.<\/p>\n

He is married to Kirsty Young, the former presenter of Desert Island Discs who was forced to step down for health reasons. Young has spoken about the ‘severe, relentless’ pain that forced her off the air waves having been struck by a combination of rheumatoid arthritis and chronic pain disorder fibromyalgia.<\/p>\n

She delighted fans with a return to screens during the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.<\/p>\n

Yesterday, it was announced that\u00a0Soho House has been sold for \u00a32 billion in a deal backed by a Hollywood A-lister.<\/p>\n

\"Soho <\/p>\n

Soho House founder Nick Jones, who is set to retain his stake in the company following its recent sale\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The celebrity hotspot is being taken over by a group of investors, including Ashton Kutcher (pictured), in a deal worth around $2.7 billion<\/p>\n

The celebrity hotspot is being taken over by a group of investors, including Ashton Kutcher, in a deal worth around $2.7 billion (\u00a32 billion).<\/p>\n

The hospitality group, which is based in London but listed on the New York Stock Exchange, confirmed shareholders in Soho House & Co will receive $9 (\u00a36.64) per share in the business.<\/p>\n

New York-based hotel giant MCR Hotels is leading the consortium, also including private equity firm Apollo, which struck the deal to take the company private.<\/p>\n

It will pay \u00a32 billion to snap up the business, including its $700m (\u00a35.1m) debts.<\/p>\n

A raft of existing shareholders, including Ron Burkle, Ivy Collection boss Richard Caring and founder Nick Jones, will retain their stakes in the company.<\/p>\n

A-list actor-turned-tech investor Mr Kutcher will also invest in Soho House as part of the deal and will join the firm’s board of directors.<\/p>\n

MCR boss Tyler Morse will also join the board as vice chairman following the takeover.<\/p>\n

The business currently runs 46 Soho House sites, eight Soho Works and Scorpios Beach Clubs in Mykonos and Bodrum. It also owns the Ned and numerous other hospitality businesses.<\/p>\n

Andrew Carnie, chief executive of Soho House & Co, said: ‘This transaction reflects the strong confidence our existing and incoming shareholders have in the future of Soho House & Co, and the transformation we’ve led since becoming a public company.<\/p>\n

‘Since our IPO (initial public offering) in 2021, we’ve focused on building a stronger, more resilient business.<\/p>\n

‘I’m incredibly proud of what our teams have accomplished and am excited about our future, as we continue to be guided by our members and grounded in the spirit that makes Soho House so special.’<\/p>\n

Mr Morse said: ‘All of us at MCR are excited to be part of the Soho House journey, helping to create more experiences, interactions and memories alongside friends and members.<\/p>\n

‘We have long admired Soho House for bringing together cultures from around the world into a global network of 46 houses, and we look forward to the continued growth of that fabric, starting with four new houses opening soon.’<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It began as a networking destination for ‘creatives’, but Soho House quickly became a favorite hangout for celebrities…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":77955,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[6491,97,96,519,39742,39741,388,100,394,983,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-77954","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-celebrities","8":"tag-celebrities","9":"tag-dailymail","10":"tag-entertainment","11":"tag-femail","12":"tag-kate-moss","13":"tag-kirsty-young","14":"tag-london","15":"tag-meghan-markle","16":"tag-new-york","17":"tag-prince-harry","18":"tag-uk","19":"tag-united-kingdom","20":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77954","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77954"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77954\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77955"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77954"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77954"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77954"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}