5 Hertford Street

5 Hertford Street
Abbreviation5HS
Formation2012 (2012)
Locations
  • 2–5 Hertford Street, Mayfair, London, W1J 7RB (club)
  • 6B Hertford Street, Mayfair, London, W1J 7RQ (office)
OwnerRobin Birley
Designer
Rifat Ozbek
Websitewww.5hertfordstreet.com

5 Hertford Street (5HS) is a private members' club in Mayfair, London, which was described in a 2017 Observer article as London's most secretive club.[1] It has annual membership costs of £3,500 and is owned by the English businessman Robin Birley. Its interior design is by the Turkish-born fashion designer Rifat Ozbek.[1]

The club is known to have been frequented by figures including Harry Styles, Margot Robbie, Mick Jagger, Lupita Nyong'o, George and Amal Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, the Prince of Wales and Princess Eugenie.[1] It is where Meghan Markle had drinks the night before she met Prince Harry. Piers Morgan's wife, Celia Walden, wrote an article for The Telegraph attributing 5 Hertford Street as the location of the first date of Markle and Prince Harry.[2] Later it was said in Finding Freedom, a biography that includes contributions from Markle, that the first date of the couple was at Soho House on Dean Street.[3]

Birley, who has been described as "a committed Leaver", "ushered into membership" a number of politicians; political figures that have been associated with the club include Priti Patel, Nigel Farage, Michael Gove, David Cameron, Arron Banks[4] and Liz Truss.[5] It is located on the corner of Shepherd Market and has its own cigar shop and a downstairs nightclub, Loulou's.[6]

In May 2019, protesters gathered outside the club after it announced that it was outsourcing management of its kitchen porters to a private company, putting staff at risk of reduced pay.[7]

  1. ^ a b c James, Khila (27 November 2017). "Everything You Need to Know About London's Most Secretive Club". Observer. Observer Media. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  2. ^ Walden, Celia (28 November 2017). "Sweet but steely: why Meghan Markle is so much more than a 'Hollywood vixen'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  3. ^ "Details of Harry and Meghan's first date revealed in new book". Sky News. 27 July 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  4. ^ Lo Dico, Joy (11 December 2019). "How 5 Hertford Street became the most influential members' club in London". Evening Standard. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  5. ^ Pogrund, Gabriel (2 January 2022). "Liz Truss wants to lunch, and only a Tory donor's place will do". The Times. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  6. ^ Fitzmaurice, Rosie (16 August 2017). "Inside 5 Hertford Street, an exclusive London members' club so secretive it won't even reveal the cost of a membership". Business Insider. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  7. ^ Hutton, Alice (30 May 2019). "Workers at exclusive Mayfair club 5 Hertford Street protest against "poverty pay"". The Times. Retrieved 2 December 2019.