TREND REPORT

THE GREAT MEMBERS CLUB MIGRATION

Club members are migrating, en masse, from polluted overcrowded cities to green and tranquil country clubs. But will they fly back?

Imagine, it’s Summer, and you’re rolling up to a grand manor house fit for a Jane Austen novel. The type of building Americans think we all live in. Gravel driveway crunches beneath your brogues as you step from a chauffeured ride to the grand entrance, to be greeted upon arrival. The grounds hum with activity, but it is not busy. It is organised, but personable and not corporate. You needn’t only imagine this. It is a reality, for some.

With Summer practically signing in at reception, the UK’s outdoor spaces poise to become the place to unwind in these sacred months.

High on life, anaemic from the Winter and drunk on Pimms, Brits flood pub gardens, leisure centres and outdoor spaces, soaking up every last ray of sunshine. Specifically, the rural economy literally revolves around the sun. Rural hospitality and leisure explodes in the Summer. And there’s one type of countryside institution, particularly hoping the warmer months aren’t fashionably late.

Country Clubs, if you can call them that over here, are fast becoming the private class’s destination of choice. Venues like Fritton Lakes are riding the wave of ‘Staycations’ and city dwellers relocating to the country post-COVID, these Private Members Clubs (PMC) are fast becoming the preference, and not the alternative, to city venues as revellers tire of hustle, bustle and overcrowded spaces.

Migrational patterns aside, these clubs’ rise in popularity is a result of their unique offering. Sprawling countryside landscapes open for exploration, dog-friendly, almost always rooms for you to stay in overnight and an abundance of amenities including fine dining restaurants, gyms, spas & of course, bars and dance floors.

And did I mention they’re almost always the same price, if not cheaper than their city counterparts? Some memberships like Soho House, can include access to their rural counterpart Soho FarmHouse.

A trend only just finding pace in the UK, but one that has been firmly rooted in America’s cultural tapestry since Alexander Graham Bell first picked up the phone in 1876 and uttered the words “It’s gonna be bloody stunning this Friday, fancy the Farmhouse?”.

Yet, this ‘trend’ I believe is more a seismic shift and will fast become the status quo. Contrary to popular belief, and this may come a as shock to some, but 90% of our population live outside of London. Country clubs provide a much-needed alternative to London venues. They open the floodgates to the underserved rural audience, who are always excluded from the fun. But definitely not short of the required funds.

It’s hard to argue with Country Club's rise in popularity. Just take a look at the grand, Cowley Manor, or the chic ‘The Club by Bamford’. Their unique combination of natural tranquillity, rural luxury and utter privacy to enjoy yourself as you please, is a far cry from what you’ll experience in London. Attending these venues feels like you’re stepping into how the world of Members’ Clubs should operate.

So, if you’re sold on the promise of escaping the trappings of urban sprawl. Instead swapping it out for the far more civilised pursuit of country clubbing, enjoy Curated Spaces’ list of our favourite rural destinations poised to take clubland in 2024