By Hayley Spencer

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Members’ clubs are synonymous with both gossip and booze. London’s elite have long been lured by the chance to let loose, unencumbered by the chance of being seen by anyone outside of their circles. Though for those on the inside there’s the possibility of spying a Prince in a tryst, or a socialite powdering their nose.

But things have been shifting in the past few years, and many of the capital’s most famous clubs have failed to maintain their air of elusivity — or move with the times. Old school The Garrick came under fire last year for its antiquated male-only code (which has now been reversed). While many have gone cold on Soho House’s bursting portfolio (it has 46 houses) on the grounds it’s lost its exclusivity after 30 years in business. And in suburbia there was Birch which promised to be a lifestyle and remote working destination with outposts in Cheshunt then Selsdon. Both went into administration in 2023, three years after the first opened and seven months since the second.

Now looking to change the game is Long Lane, a new members’ club set to launch in spring 2025. Its USP? Being the UK’s first sober members’ club which will offer guests the chance for a complete reboot just an hour away from London in destination of the moment, West Sussex.

“It’s Soho House minus the hangover,” say entrepreneurs and co-founders Harrison Hide and Loui Blake, who’ve already seen 10 million views on the teaser posts for the forthcoming longevity-focused country club.

Also on the launch team as hospitality consultant is Jamie Caring. And who better to help take on Soho House than the man who has done a stint as its Chief Marketing Officer? He is also behind the Lighthouse Social in Fulham, and hospitality is in his blood: his father is Richard Caring, the London legend behind The Ivy, Annabel’s, J Sheekey, Scott’s and Sexy Fish.

As for the founders’ wellness credentials, Blake moonlights as a speaker on human and planetary wellness, and hosts the Human Nature podcast, while Hide is an avid ultra-endurance athlete. The pair think they know where others are failing in the hospitality industry right now. “There is a generation obsessed with wellbeing. We believe that nature, health and community are the new luxury, and wanted to create a hotel and members’ club that truly reflects this,” they tell The London Standard.

Dancefloors, dark corners and endless picantes will be swapped for forest bathing, biohacked bedrooms and Vitamin C shots.

Long Lane is currently under construction in the South Downs National Park — and crucially, just an hour from London. “It will allow our guests and members to truly immerse themselves in nature without being far from the city,” says Blake.

There’s no doubt burnt-out Londoners love any excuse for a country escape. It’s why Soho House has its Farmhouse in A-list-stomping ground Chipping Norton and Estelle Manor is in Oxfordshire — it recently served as Apple heiress Eve Jobs’ wedding venue. Both have indulgent wellness offerings and techy gyms.

So what does Long Lane offer over and above them, other than catering to the booze-free? “Aside from the main house, the site itself has afforded us the space for epic woodland trails, a forest sauna, natural pool, immersive outdoor dining sites, fire pits, outdoor courts, a farm, gardens and more. Plus, the area’s rich cultural heritage, combined with its breathtaking landscapes, makes it an inspiring setting for a project rooted in wellbeing and intentional living,” says Blake.

For the biohackers, there’ll be all the latest tech to rival some of Europe’s destination wellness hotels, plus personalised programmes and a calendar of retreats and talks will be on offer. The founders tease spa spaces overseen by longevity expert Dr. Enayat, with cryotherapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy therapies offered alongside natural pools, cold plunges and sound baths. Plus, expect more traditional mat class studios, and a performance focused gym.

Blake and Hide are particularly hyped about their precision nutrition dining restaurant, which they say is a world first. “It’s set within a toxin-free and circadian aligned space.”

As for what will keep people coming back and releasing their hard-earned cash month on month? “It’s important to us is that Long Lane is also a community, not just a place to stay. We’ve pulled together world-class experts, brought pioneering technology like our biometric-driven app to life, as well as developing rich cultural programming to ensure that Long Lane offers a fully personalised experience that blows other wellness destinations out of the water,” they say.

So who do they anticipate members will be rubbing shoulders with? “If we’re speculating on names, it would be people like David Gandy and Tom Holland, those who embody intentional living and want to be part of a pioneering community.”

Is the rest of London ready to swap retox weekends for detoxes? Eyes will be on West Sussex next spring.

Memberships for Long Lane open on November 1. longlane.co.uk