Celebrity haunt closed amid police investigation into ‘recent serious crime’

Celebrity favourite The Groucho Club remains closed amid a constabulary probe into allegations of “a caller superior transgression offence”.

Documents relating to the licensing hearing, which would usually beryllium disposable to presumption publicly, person been posted online but astir of the contented has been redacted.

In a highly antithetic step, the Metropolitan Police person besides refused to uncover immoderate details astir the allegations beyond the information that they subordinate to claims of a caller superior crime.

It is understood the information that a constabulary probe is taking spot was lone publically revealed due to the fact that the unit had to use for the club’s licence to beryllium suspended.

The Groucho Club is 1 of London’s astir well-known backstage members’ clubs and has a agelong relation with A-list celebrities.

It was primitively acceptable up arsenic a much relaxed alternate to accepted gentlemen’s clubs, and existent members “should person a originative relation wrong the originative industries and stock the club’s maverick spirit”, according to the venue’s website.

A Met spokesperson said: “On Tuesday, November 26, a Westminster Council licensing proceeding ruled that the licence for The Groucho Club should beryllium suspended for up to 28 days, until a afloat proceeding tin instrumentality place.

“The suspension volition instrumentality effect instantly and follows an exertion made by the Metropolitan Police Service connected the grounds that the venue had breached its licensing conditions and had been the country of a caller superior transgression offence.

“The probe into that offence is ongoing and, arsenic a result, determination is simply a bounds to the item that tin beryllium provided. The proceeding was held successful backstage for the aforesaid reason.

“Further details volition beryllium released erstwhile possible.”

The backstage members’ venue is understood to person co-operated with the council’s licensing sub-committee, acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations and accepted the decision.

A assembly spokesperson said: “This determination follows reports that a superior transgression whitethorn person taken spot astatine the premises successful circumstances linked to a breach successful the premises’ licensing conditions.

“The allegations are taxable to an ongoing constabulary probe and we cannot remark further astatine this stage.”

The Groucho Club has been approached for comment.