It launched in London’s Soho almost 40 years ago and quickly gained notoriety for its celebrity clientele and “tales of naughty and indulgent excess”.

Now one of London’s best-known private members clubs, the prestigious Groucho Club, has announced plans to expand into a village near Wakefield.

The Groucho Bretton Stadium will open at the Grade II listed Bretton Hall within the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and will be the first permanent venue in the club’s history outside the capital.

The venue will also have 40 bedrooms and be open to non-members, and is expected to open in 2026.

Ewan Venters, chief executive of Groucho owner Artfarm, described the move as “probably the most exciting venture in Groucho’s 39-year history”.

He continued: “We’ve done pop-ups at literary and music festivals in the past, but this will be the first time we’ve established a permanent home outside of Soho, London.

“Groucho Breton will have a life of his own, different from the original Groucho but with the same unique eclectic style and personality rooted in people and place.”

Celebrity homes – but some people are shut out

The original Groucho Club opened on Soho’s Dean Street on May 5, 1985, and by the 1990s it had become, as the venue itself puts it, the go-to venue for “the famous and infamous”.

But fame alone isn’t enough to get you in.

The club’s history section states that “the membership committee quickly proved itself to be formidable, fickle and difficult to impress.” “Even if you passed the test of membership, you didn’t always succeed. Guaranteed to actually join the club.”

Member Eric Clapton was once turned away for not being recognized – even the Spice Girls failed to achieve success in their heyday.

Why Wakefield?

Bretton Hall, a former art college that closed in 2007, has an equally storied history.

Mr Winters said its heritage was the new venue’s main attraction.

“Our plans will respect these traditions while reinventing their appeal,” he said. “We want people to feel like they’re part of a family and a community, not just a members’ club.”

Artfarm and property developer Rushbond Group will develop the site in partnership with Wakefield Council, with support from Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

“Bretton Hall’s long-standing reputation as an innovative arts institution makes it the perfect place for Groucho to establish its unique offering outside of London,” said council leader Denis Jeffrey.

“I am delighted that Bretton Hall will enter a dynamic new phase in its history, enhancing our region’s reputation as a cultural hub.”