Members-only social clubs: Conversations, passions and why they're ‘so badly needed'

Business Times

4 days ago

[SINGAPORE] The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of emotions and activity on the private members-only club scene. To the shock of staff and members, 1880 abruptly closed after racking up debt when it expanded to Hong Kong and Bali. Then came the good news that its staff are partnering the former club's landlord to reopen it under a different name next month, and its 2000-plus members can transfer their memberships to the new business.
Amid the turbulence, 67 Pall Mall and Mandala Club both announced expansion plans. 67 Pall Mall, which started a decade ago in London, will open in Shanghai. It also has an outpost in Verbier, Switzerland and three others coming up in Melbourne, Australia and France's Bordeaux and Beaune.
Meanwhile, Mandala Club will spend S$2 million to take over its neighbour's building in Bukit Pasoh to expand its footprint by 50 per cent, and is also building a beachfront property in Bali, which will have a 35-key hotel component.
Both 67 Pall Mall and Mandala Club say their membership base is about equally split between locals and expatriates, and members can use the facilities at its clubs outside Singapore.
There's even a new private club in the works. Vanta, which positions itself as an 'invite-only private members club', held a preview in May and is slated to open in the fourth quarter.
And when the new club at the former 1880 premises opens in Robertson Quay, it's not going to be business as usual either. The plan is to raise the club to the next level by focusing on the membership experience and curating the right mix of members to bring out the magic of being part of a community.
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Ben Jones, chief executive and founder of The Mandala Group, has said the club is 'in the healthiest profitability and capitalised situation we've ever been' and 'can fund potential growth or merger and acquisition strategies'. Earlier this year, the club joined the Icon1c Group – a luxury hospitality collective co-founded with tech entrepreneur Patrick Grove's Kuala Lumpur-based Internet company, Catcha Group.
'With the backing of Icon1c, this is not just added space – it's a strategic investment in the future of our flagship and a reflection of Mandala's position as a cultural and social platform with regional resonance,' says Jones.
Over at 67 Pall Mall, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation stood at just over S$5 million for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2024, with a net profit of S$1.8 million.
'Is it a good business? Yes, if you're in the right location, got the right products, curate your members and make sure they stay happy,' founder and chief executive Grant Ashton tells The Business Times.
Its programming is centred around wine, with its masterclasses – a recent one costing S$1,250 a seat – usually full.
Even the local operations of 1880 were believed to be profitable, thus attracting a few potential buyers before it was placed into provisional liquidation.
Still, 67 Pall Mall, which opened in Shaw Centre in 2022, is halving its entry fees for new members to S$2,000, but raising monthly subscription fees for them by S$60 to S$360.
'The reality is that we have capacity at this point in time,' says Ashton, a former banker. 'Because, as you can see, the F&B scene is softer – witness 1880 and all the other things that have gone on in terms of restaurants.'
The ties that bind
Dinesh Sathisan, a founding member of 1880, says the club 'was a breath of fresh air' when it opened in 2017 – at a time when people wanted to join 'the big old neocolonial clubs where there's a long waitlist to get in, you spend a lot of money and it came with a whole slew of restrictions'.
'The very essence of 1880 when it started out, which is to build a network through conversations, was very, very appealing,' says Sathisan, who works in international affairs.
The notion of privacy and discretion was also a draw, and he could relax, conduct meetings and network at the club. 'You meet like-minded people who, for example, attend a talk by the Ukrainian ambassador about the Ukraine war. These people are interested in foreign affairs and there would be an extension of those discussions taking place in the club. And that, for many of us, was brilliant.'
Meanwhile, on the social side of things, there were 'great events', theme parties and 'an absolutely amazing' executive chef in the form of Colin Buchan.
Sathisan's also a founding member of 67 Pall Mall, which he says does not claim to be what it's not. 'They're very clear that it's a wine lovers' club.'
For another 1880 member, access to a diverse group of people from very different backgrounds, nationalities and businesses was attractive. As was the fact that as a single working female in Singapore, the club was a safe space to both conduct business and socialise with friends.
'The service you get at places like 1880 was on a different level. All the staff members know you personally and it's like a second home,' says Juliet Stannard, who's also a member of Tanglin Club. 'The food was always excellent and a step up from other restaurants or bars that you would go to.'
Sometimes, it's a specific passion – and a younger demographic – that matters. At just 29, avid wine lover Kuo Tzu-En is already a member of wine societies including Commanderie de Bordeaux Singapore, on whose council she sits. Still, she put her name on 67 Pall Mall's waitlist before she got her membership.
'I joined because it's a very good place for socialising, there are many young members and lots of wine tastings and events,' says Kuo, who's also a member of The American Club. 67 Pall Mall's wine list of 5,000 by the bottle, of which 1,000 can be had by the glass, is another draw. 'You can still try a glass of the more expensive wines if you don't have the spending power to open a bottle.'
Tony Morris, another 67 Pall Mall member, joined after visiting the club in London. 'Wine is a journey of discovery and the club's sommeliers are very well-equipped in terms of knowledge and experience to guide you,' says Morris, who runs an investment firm.
While a market observer has wondered if the business model of expanding overseas is right for members-only clubs which should be a high-touch experience, Morris says: 'Be it here, London or Verbier, the locations are fantastic and you consistently get that warm, friendly welcome.'
Shaken and stirred, but still palatable
While 1880's sudden closure has caused some gnashing of teeth, it hasn't quite put the fear of a repeat elsewhere.
'I think 67 Pall Mall has got its head screwed on correctly,' says Kuo, who helps run her family's businesses.
Morris concurs. He bought a stake in the club, whose other shareholders include the Les Amis Group.
'This is not a project that's unbacked, as it were, taking on large debts and so on,' he explains, adding that shareholders are able to ask questions and challenge the way the club is run during its annual general meetings. 'There are checks and balances and you're not at the mercy of financial markets or institutions. The club is genuinely supported by people who like to be in it, which gives it a very different atmosphere.'
Even the shock of 1880's closure isn't putting Stannard off club memberships.
'A club like 1880 is so badly needed because they offer something different, like curated discussion panels and events that you won't necessarily get under one roof with other regular F&B places,' explains the director of a real estate agency. 'It's so unique.'
Sathisan says everyone's waiting to see where the new club goes in the next three or four months after it reopens. 'But I think we're all quietly confident. It has built a very strong network of very interesting people and it would be a shame to lose them all now as a result of what happened.'