Fifty (club)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fifty is a private member's club located at 50 St. James's Street in London.
[edit] History
This magnificent, landmark venue with its colourful history and rich heritage has always endeavoured to take gaming and entertainment to a new level. First opened in 1827 by a flamboyant entrepreneur of the day, the casino at 50 St James Street was designed by the fashionable architect Benjamin Wyatt, and quickly became known as "the Ascot of gambling" or "the most talked about gambling hall in the most talked about street in the most talked about city in the world."
The club took gambling out of the private houses and back streets and turned it into a grand luxe pastime, creating a relaxed environment where gentlemen (it was strictly men only in those days) could meet, eat, drink and socialise - gambling only if the mood took them. The Duke of Wellington and the notorious French dandy Count D'Orsay were amongst the regulars and high rollers who gorged on fine cuisine prepared by a chef who had once served in the kitchens of Louis XVI and wondered at the extravagant chandeliers and massive floor-to-ceiling windows of the splendid interior.
[edit] Fifty today
Following a major refurbishment in 2002, Fifty upholds the exacting aesthetic values and high standards of service enjoyed by Wellington and D'Orsay and in the spirit of the original architects one of the world's most talented interior designers, Jeffrey Beers, injected new life into a wonderful old building. We enjoy the services of a top chef, the internationally celebrated Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who has enjoyed a career preparing epicurean dishes for the great and the good, and we have London's best barman Salvatore Calabrese serving up the finest cocktails.
At Fifty, we offer not just a spectacular gaming room and excellent private gambling facilities, but also four floors of sophisticated, upscale bars and restaurants, a club lounge, Fifty Below where the ambience and décor complements gamblers and non-gamblers alike.
Members of Fifty pay an annual fee of £750.
