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A man has been arrested on suspicion of rape in The Groucho Club, the private club in central London that counts many in the media, arts and advertising among its members.
The Groucho Club was forced to shut this week after its licence was suspended by Westminster City Council, sparking widespread rumours about the reasons behind the sudden closure.
On Sunday, the Metropolitan Police said its officers had arrested a man as part of an investigation into an allegation of rape at the venue in Soho.
It followed an inquiry launched following reports of a woman being raped inside the Groucho on November 13. The woman is being supported by specialist officers, the police said in a statement.
The 34-year-old man was arrested at an address in Hertfordshire on Saturday evening and remains in custody.
The Groucho did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A Westminster Council licensing hearing ruled on Tuesday that the permit for the Groucho should be suspended for up to 28 days until a full hearing can take place.
The initial hearing was held following an application by the Met which raised concerns that the venue had breached licensing conditions and had been the scene of a serious criminal offence.
The police said there was “no suggestion that employees of the venue were involved in the commission of the offence” at this stage.
Elli Jafari, chief executive of the Groucho, was forced to assure members on Friday “that the club (or indeed its staff or members) are not considered a suspect in any allegation of serious crime”.
She said in an email to members: “The club took the decision to voluntarily close its doors for practical reasons for a short period of time following agreement with the council that there should be a temporary suspension of our licence. We are working on matters relating to some of the licence conditions.”
Westminster Council is expected to review the licence situation in the next two weeks, with the club continuing to be closed during one of its busiest periods in the run-up to the Christmas holidays.
Artfarm, an art and hospitality company founded by Iwan and Manuela Wirth, who own the Hauser & Wirth gallery, bought the Groucho in 2022 for £40mn.
