Soho's The Groucho Club temporarily closed over allegations of 'serious crime'

The Groucho Club, in Soho in London, has temporarily closed and had its licence suspended by Westminster City Council, as well as being served with a licence review, over allegations of "serious crime".

A spokesperson for Westminster City Council told The Bookseller: "Following a request from the Metropolitan Police and with the agreement of the operator, the Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee has decided to suspend The Groucho Club’s licence with immediate effect on the basis that the premises is associated with serious crime.

"This decision follows reports that a serious crime may have taken place at the premises in circumstances linked to a breach in the premises’ licensing conditions. The allegations are subject to an ongoing police investigation and we cannot comment further at this stage."

The exact details of the alleged incidents that have prompted the licence review are currently unknown, but a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police told The Bookseller: "On Wednesday, 26th November, a Westminster Council licensing hearing ruled that the licence for The Groucho Club should be suspended for up to 28 days, until a full hearing can take place. The suspension will take effect immediately and follows an application made by the Metropolitan Police Service on the grounds that the venue had breached its licensing conditions and had been the scene of a recent serious criminal offence.

"The investigation into that offence is ongoing and as a result, there is a limit to the detail that can be provided. Today’s hearing was held in private for the same reason. Further details will be released when possible."

An email sent to its members by c.e.o. Elli Jafari reads: "We are sorry to inform you that we have made the decision to temporarily close the club. We have received an application to review our licence which we take very seriously. As a consequence, the club’s licence has been suspended by agreement with Westminster City Council and we have made the decision to close the club pending a full hearing before Christmas. Thank you for your understanding. We will keep you updated as soon as we have further information."

The Groucho Club was established in 1985 by a group of publishers, and remains popular with those working in publishing, along with celebrities, writers, musicians and artists.