Members' clubs in the age of Covid, from Groucho to Boisdale
The Groucho Club (Getty Images)
Are you clubbable? Some people are, fiercely, while others disdain the whole idea. It is thought men are more clubbable than women, though that may not be supported by facts. In any event, if you are what PG Wodehouse would have called a clubman, you will be eagerly awaiting Monday 17 May and the reopening of indoor hospitality. On that day, too, most members’ clubs will finally reopen their doors.
Why do we join clubs? One could point to any number of factors—facilities, services, convenience, interests—but in truth it’s about exclusivity. We join partly to associate with people with whom we have something in common. It could be profession, political leaning, hobby or simply