Clermont Club


The Clermont Set was an exclusive group of rich British gamblers who met at the Clermont Club, originally at 44 Berkeley Square, in London's fashionable Mayfair district. It closed in March 2018.

Premises

The house at 44 Berkeley Square was built in 1740 by Lady Isabella Finch, the 7th daughter of Daniel Finch, 7th Earl of Winchilsea, 2nd Earl of Nottingham. It is famed for its theatrical staircase and large Grand Saloon, "one of the
finest rooms of its scale and period in London", the design of which was based on the famous Double Cube Room at Wilton House in Wiltshire. She never married but became Lady of the Bedchamber to Princess Amelia, a spinster aunt of King George III. It was purchased after her death by William Henry Fortescue, 1st Earl of Clermont, an Irish peer, and served as his London townhouse. The Clermont Club later moved to 27–28 Curzon Street, also in Mayfair, and was renamed Aspinall's.

History

It was the first London casino opened by John Aspinall after he received a gaming licence under Britain's new gambling law. Aspinall sold the club in 1972 to Playboy Enterprises, which was forced to sell it in 1982 when it lost its licence.

Members

The club was founded in 1962 by John Aspinall and the original membership included five dukes, five marquesses, almost twenty earls and two cabinet ministers.
Society figures who frequented the club included Peter Sellers, Ian Fleming, David Stirling, Lucian Freud, Lord Lucan, Lord Derby, Lord Boothby, and the Duke of Devonshire.
Businessman members included James Goldsmith, Gianni Agnelli, Jim Slater, and Kerry Packer.

''Private Eye'' allegations

In 1976 Goldsmith initiated a libel action against the satirical magazine Private Eye, which had alleged that members of the Clermont Set, including Goldsmith, had conspired to shelter Lord Lucan after Lucan was suspected of murdering his family nanny, Sandra Rivett. Goldsmith won a partial victory and eventually reached a settlement with the magazine.