The Savile Club, one of the few remaining gentlemen’s clubs in London, has decided to maintain its male-only membership policy. In a recent vote, members chose not to amend the rules to allow women to join.
During an intense emergency general meeting held on Tuesday evening, approximately 53% of the attendees rejected a proposal to amend the club’s longstanding regulations, which has been in place for 157 years.
Opponents of integrating women into the club highlighted its unique atmosphere, arguing that it serves as a rare sanctuary where “men can be themselves without affectation.” One member voiced concerns about the club being “under siege from the woke agenda,” expressing that the arrival of female members would disrupt the existing “dynamics in the bar and camaraderie” among the members.
Following the vote, at least five men reportedly resigned in protest. After the meeting concluded, a steady stream of predominantly white men dressed in formal attire—many clutching umbrellas, and some wearing claret-colored trousers or tweed jackets—departed from the Thistle hotel in central London, where the event took place.
Most members chose to remain silent, though one individual exclaimed, “We won! No women.”
This decision comes at a time when several of London’s remaining gentlemen’s clubs are reevaluating their policies regarding women’s membership, particularly following last year’s move by the Garrick Club to accept female members.
Founded in 1868 as a gathering place for artistic and literary figures, the Savile Club boasts a membership of over 1,000 individuals, including journalists, academics, musicians, television executives, and City professionals, all paying an annual fee of approximately £1,900.
The club’s elegant Mayfair building features a large ballroom, a snooker area, a library, a traditional bar with dark wood paneling, and a dining room adorned with marble columns, where dishes are crafted by Michelin-starred chef Michael James.
Inside the club’s main spaces, items like briefcases, business documents, mobile phones, and newspapers are prohibited. Women may enter as guests but must be accompanied by a male member who has invited them.
Proponents of allowing women to join argued that the club’s exclusionary policy is hindering the rental of spaces within the Brooke Street venue and negatively impacting the club’s financial health. One member pointed out that his son’s employer, Google, deemed it inappropriate to host meetings at the facility.
A written appeal for changing the policy expressed concerns over losing friends who might feel uncomfortable continuing their membership in a club that refuses to accept women. It also raised the question, “If we aim to attract the best members, why limit ourselves to only half the potential candidates when so many talented women in the arts and other fields could enrich the Savile experience?”
To highlight the allure of a male-only establishment, one member suggested that men appreciate having a “man cave,” a setting where they can relax and unwind.
Tensions had been mounting in the lead-up to the emergency general meeting, as some members opposed to admitting women threatened to seek a high court injunction to block the club’s plans to allow remote voting. Consequently, club officials scrapped remote voting for the event.
An attendee noted that older members, who could not attend the meeting in person, were generally more supportive of admitting women, while younger members tended to oppose it. He described the outcome as “disheartening,” further stating, “The Savile now appears to have an overwhelming presence of young traditionalists from financial sectors and political consultancies who wield their influence and wealth.”
Meanwhile, the 141-year-old Flyfishers’ Club, which shares the Savile building, voted to allow women to join in October, following complaints from prominent female anglers about their exclusion.
The Savile Club has been approached for a response.
