One of London’s last remaining gentlemen’s clubs, the Garrick, may be the first to admit women after a barrister U-turned a previous legal ruling that ruled they were ineligible. for membership.
Michael Beloff KC first concluded that women could not be nominated under the club’s rules after Joanna Lumley was denied membership in 2011. He ruled then that although the rules did not clearly prevent women from -join, they say that “no candidate can be qualified unless he is proposed by one member and supported by another”.
The use of the masculine article led Beloff to conclude that the rule could be interpreted as referring to men only, while he also said that the club’s goals also refer to “gentlemanly accomplishment and scholarship”.
But the rule can now be lifted by the club, which was founded in 1831 and counts Benedict Cumberbatch and Sir Kingsley Amis among its members, after the KC wrote a new legal opinion, ending the opposition.
Beloff prepared a new legal opinion in November last year, the Times reported, saying there was “now a strong argument” that the Property Act 1925 meant “he” and “he” can be used interchangeably in contracts.
“If so, there is no legal obstacle to a woman’s proposal for club membership by one member, seconded by another; nor, if he obtains the support required under the rules, is there any legal obstacle to his acceptance as a member of the club,” the newspaper quoted Beloff as writing. He is reported to have warned that the club is “likely to challenge an expensive lawsuit” if it continues to exclude women from membership.
Although the opinion was issued in November, many members learned of it only recently, as the committee did not share news of Beloff’s revised ruling, the Times reports. Club members will share their views with women who will participate in a survey next month.
Emily Bendell, the chief executive and founder of a successful underwear brand, launched legal action against the club in 2020, arguing that the male-only membership rules were a breach of equality law, while Cherie Booth KC joined a campaign to force the club to admit women the following year.
Members including Stephen Fry, Damian Lewis and Hugh Bonneville have said they are in favor of extending membership to women, as have Michael Gove, former justice secretary Ken Clarke, and broadcasters Sir Trevor McDonald, Melvyn Bragg and Jeremy Paxman. Three former Conservative MPs and 11 KCs were among those who said they would vote to continue excluding women members.
The club, founded in 1831, last voted on whether to include women in 2015, when a majority of 50.5% voted in favor of introducing female members. However, the introduction of a new Garrick rule requires a two-thirds majority.
Garrick has been contacted for comment.
