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Business Times
10-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Members-only social clubs: Conversations, passions and why they're ‘so badly needed'
[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. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Don't worry, we make money For starters, private clubs here are profitable. 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.'
Business Times
09-07-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Private clubs still in vogue
HAS the recent saga over members' club 1880 put you off joining one? If not, welcome to the, well, club as the exclusivity, curated programming, networking opportunities and community spirit they offer are still highly attractive to people who want to become their members. In this week's BT Lifestyle, we look at the continued appeal of such clubs and how, despite 1880's woes, it's still a profitable business to be in. So much so that existing clubs such as 67 Pall Mall and the Mandala Club are on an expansion path, with new brands contemplating making their entry into the market. In Design, we discover how robots have replaced bricklayers in housebuilding, with a peek at the first 3D printed house in Singapore. The brainchild of architect Lim Koon Park, the Bukit Timah detached property is a showcase of technology, yet at its core – a real, liveable family home. Meanwhile in Dining, two-Michelin-starred restaurant Thevar has moved to a new home in Mohamed Sultan. We get a taste of what it has to offer. For this and more, don't miss this week's instalment of BT Lifestyle.
Business Times
27-06-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Another private member's club expands: Mandala Club invests S$2m to grow square footage by almost 50%
[SINGAPORE] Private members' club, Mandala Club, has taken over a building next door on Bukit Pasoh Road and will spend S$2 million to expand its floor space by almost 50 per cent. Slated to open in the fourth quarter of this year, the 9,000-square foot, four-storey property will be connected internally to the club's current clubhouse, which occupies four shophouses. Mandala Club's current clubhouse (right) and its upcoming extension next door. PHOTO: CORINNE KERK The extension will feature a ballroom to host up to 250 people, an all-day dining restaurant called Popi's Penthouse, and other facilities. The building formerly housed a clan association and the Singapore First Aid Training Centre. Mandala Club is also building a beach front property in Bali, which is slated to open some time this year. The Indonesian venue will have a 35-key hotel component. The club's expansion follows The Business Times' report last week of 67 Pall Mall's plans to open next year in Shanghai, its first Chinese outpost, as well as the collapse of another private members' club, 1880. Ben Jones, chief executive and founder of The Mandala Group told BT: 'The expansion has been in the works since late last year, and was driven by both momentum and necessity. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up 'Our membership has grown steadily, and with it, the appetite for deeper, more diverse experiences. We reached a natural inflection point where the physical footprint of the club needed to grow in order to support the scale of our community and our programming ambitions.' Mandala Club's current clubhouse spreads across four floors and includes a gym, three restaurants, three bars, a cigar lounge, wine cellar, entertainment and music hub, co-working spaces and event spaces. Mandala Club's current clubhouse on Bukit Pasoh Road. PHOTO: MANDALA CLUB Its expansion follows the club's entry into the ICON1C Group, which has given it 'access to deeper resources'. The ICON1C Group is a luxury hospitality collective co-founded with tech entrepreneur Patrick Grove's Kuala Lumpur-based Internet company, Catcha Group. 'As part of ICON1C, we've been able to make a confident, long-term investment into our flagship location,' says Jones, adding the club's being part of ICON1C sets the foundation for the future. The other brand under ICON1C Group is Amber Lounge, which is known for holding after-parties that follow Formula 1 Grand Prix races. The expansion of both Mandala Club and 67 Pall Mall – a private club focused on fine wines – follow the sudden closure of 1880 on Jun 17, with its holding and operating companies placed under provisional liquidation. 1880, which had a 22,000-square-foot space in Robertson Quay, also abruptly closed its Hong Kong branch on May 30 – just seven months after opening in the territory.
