Founded and conceived by Mark Birley, the popular son of a renowned society painter (and named after his then wife, Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart), this new club immediately enthralled the imagination of London’s society who were starved of a place to enjoy the music of the Swinging Sixties in style.
Membership was by invitation only (at launch there were just 500 founding member letters sent to close friends) and limited to those that could truly understand and appreciate the beauty of its concept. This place was not to be for the gauche or loud, this was a haven to discreetly enjoy each other’s company and to do so in the way of the most comfortable country house imaginable - complete with stunning art works, cozy interiors, roaring fires, robust wine collections and perfectly mixed cocktails.