Welcome to the club: why are private members’ clubs booming? | Society | The Guardian

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Whether it’s an exclusive establishment with a years-long waiting list or a working men’s club at the heart of its community, there’s nothing like a sense of belonging. And when times are tough, memberships go up W hen Michelle Fisher got involved with running the Walthamstow Trades Hall, a social club in north-east London, something surprised her: how excited new recruits get about their membership pack. It’s nothing special – a faux-leather wallet containing a membership card and a fob for the door – but time and again, people kept asking: “Is my wallet ready yet?” Fisher laughs recounting this. “People just want to be part of something,” she says. “Especially when everything else is a bit difficult and stressful.” Tapping into this desire to belong, and to be invested in a community, has been central to Walthamstow Trades Hall’s recent regeneration. Founded as a working men’s club back in 1919, the club sits in an unassuming building on a residential street. So many letters have fal

‘People just want to be part of something’: the colourful history and recent resurgence of the members’ club. Illustration: Luke Wohlgemuth/The Observer View image in fullscreen ‘People just want to be part of something’: the colourful history and recent resurgence of the members’ club. Illustration: Luke Wohlgemuth/The Observer Society This article is more than 1 year old Welcome to the club: why are private members’ clubs booming? This article is more than 1 year old Whether it’s an exclusive establishment with a years-long waiting list or a working men’s club at the heart of its community,

Welcome to the club: why are private members’ clubs booming? | Society | The Guardian

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