The Colony Room Club was a private members' drinking club at 41

Dean Street Dean Street is a street in Soho, central London, running from Oxford Street south to Shaftesbury Avenue. Historical figures and places In 1764 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, then a young boy, gave a recital at 21 Dean Street. Admiral Nelson stayed ...

Soho Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was deve ...

, London. It was founded and presided over by Muriel Belcher from its inception in 1948 until her death in 1979. The artist

Francis Bacon Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (; 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626), also known as Lord Verulam, was an English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England. Bacon led the advancement of both ...

was a founder and lifelong member, and the club attracted a mixture of Soho's low-lifes and its alcoholic, artistic elite, including

George Melly Alan George Heywood Melly (17 August 1926 – 5 July 2007) was an English jazz and blues singer, critic, writer, and lecturer. From 1965 to 1973 he was a film and television critic for '' The Observer''; he also lectured on art history, with a ...

Jeffrey Bernard Jeffrey Joseph Bernard (; 27 May 1932 – 4 September 1997) was an English journalist, best known for his weekly column "Low Life" in ''The Spectator'' magazine, and also notorious for a feckless and chaotic career and life of alcohol abus ...

and

Lucian Freud Lucian Michael Freud (; 8 December 1922 – 20 July 2011) was a British painter and draughtsman, specialising in figurative art, and is known as one of the foremost 20th-century English portraitists. He was born in Berlin, the son of Jewis ...

. Visiting non-members included many names from aristocratic, political and artistic circles, including

Princess Margaret Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth ...

William Burroughs William Seward Burroughs II (; February 5, 1914 – August 2, 1997) was an American writer and visual artist, widely considered a primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodern author who influenced popular cultur ...

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

and

Henri Cartier-Bresson Henri Cartier-Bresson (; 22 August 1908 – 3 August 2004) was a French humanist photographer considered a master of candid photography, and an early user of 35mm film. He pioneered the genre of street photography, and viewed photography as ca ...

. The club attracted the

Young British Artists The Young British Artists, or YBAs—also referred to as Brit artists and Britart—is a loose group of visual artists who first began to exhibit together in London in 1988. Many of the YBA artists graduated from the BA Fine Art course at Goldsm ...

in the 1990s.Coffield, Darren; Koons, Emin.
Drink-Up Pay-Up F-Off: Tales from the Colony – London’s Lost Bohemia
. ''Artlyst'', 9 May 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2022

1948–1979 Muriel Belcher

In 1948, Muriel Belcher secured a 3pm-to-11pm drinking licence for The Colony Room Club as a private members club (public houses had to close at 2.30pm). The room was operated by Belcher from that year until her death in 1979.

was a founding member, walking in the day after it opened. He was "adopted" by Belcher who called him "Daughter", and gave him free drinks and £10 a week to bring in friends and rich patrons. The club was located in a tiny first-floor room in

, and was notorious for its decor as well as its clientele. Originally smartly decorated in a colonial style, it was repainted in the 1950s; its green walls became famous. Members described the staircase that led to the establishment as foul-smelling and flanked by dustbins, and talked of "going up the dirty stairs". The club played an important role in Soho society. Members in Belcher's time also included

Daniel Farson Daniel James Negley Farson (8 January 1927 – 27 November 1997) was a British writer and broadcaster, strongly identified with the early days of commercial television in the UK, when his sharp, investigative style contrasted with the BBC's mor ...

; Michael Andrews; John Deakin; and

Henrietta Moraes Henrietta Moraes, born Audrey Wendy Abbott, (22 May 1931 – 6 January 1999) was a British artists' model and memoirist. During the 1950s and 1960s, she was the muse and inspiration for many artists of the Soho subculture, including Lucian Freu ...

, whose portrait by Bacon sold for £21.3 million in February 2012. Belcher's open attitude towards sexuality attracted many gay men to the club, many of them brought there by her Jamaican girlfriend, Carmel. Belcher had a knack for attracting or discovering interesting and colourful people, and the patronage of men such as

and Francis Bacon helped to establish the Colony Room Club's close-knit community. Bacon's friend

Lady Rose McLaren Lady Rose Mary Primrose McLaren (née Paget; 21 July 1919 – 1 November 2005) was a British aristocrat, the fourth daughter of the 6th Marquess of Anglesey. The Paget family (the Marquesses of Anglesey) resided in Plas Newydd and Beaudesert ...

was a habituée of the club in her London days. According to the

Museum of London The Museum of London is a museum in London, covering the history of the UK's capital city from prehistoric to modern times. It was formed in 1976 by amalgamating collections previously held by the City Corporation at the Guildhall Museum (fou ...

website, "The Colony Room was one of many drinking clubs in Soho. The autocratic and temperamental owner Muriel Belcher created an ambiance which suited those who thought of themselves as misfits or outsiders". Belcher has been described as "an imperious lesbian with a fondness for insulting banter". George Melly said of her, "Muriel was a benevolent witch, who managed to draw in all London's talent up those filthy stairs. She was like a great cook, working with the ingredients of people and drink. And she loved money."Miles, Barry
''London Calling: A Countercultural History of London since 1945''
Atlantic Books, 2010.

1979–1994 Ian Board

After Belcher's death in 1979, the club was passed to her long-time barman

Ian Board Ian David Archibald Board (16 December 1929 – 26 June 1994) was an English nightclub owner who ran The Colony Room Club in Dean Street in London's Soho district, from 1981 to 1994, having taken it over from Muriel Belcher who founded the pri ...

(known as "Ida"), who held it until his death in 1994.

Brian Patten Brian Patten (born 7 February 1946) is an English poet and author. He came to prominence in the 1960s as one of the Liverpool poets, and writes primarily lyrical poetry about human relationships. His famous works include "Little Johnny's Confessio ...

described the Colony Room Club as "a small urinal full of fractious old geezers bitching about each other". For Molly Parkin, the club was "a character-building glorious hellhole. Everyone left their careers at the roadside before clambering the stairs and plunging into questionable behaviour". Clive Jennings says of regular clientele such as Jeffrey Barnard that "the lethal triangle of The French, The Coach & Horses and The Colony were the staging points of the Dean Street shuffle, with occasional forays into other joints such as The Gargoyle or the Mandrake ...

The Groucho The Groucho Club is a private members' club formed in 1985 located on Dean Street in London's Soho. Its members are mostly drawn from the publishing, media, entertainment and arts industries. The club has rooms on several floors, including ...

or Blacks".

1994–2008 Michael Wojas

The club then passed to Ian Board's barman

Michael Wojas Michael Wojas (9 August 1956 – 6 June 2010) was an English nightclub owner who ran The Colony Room Club in Dean Street in London's Soho district, from 1994 until he closed it in 2007, having inherited it from Ian Board who took it over from ...

, whom he had employed since 1981. He had the club repainted in a "rather bilious green". It became a cultural magnet for the Young British Artists group (YBAs), including

Damien Hirst Damien Steven Hirst (; né Brennan; born 7 June 1965) is an English artist, entrepreneur, and art collector. He is one of the Young British Artists (YBAs) who dominated the art scene in the UK during the 1990s. He is reportedly the United Kingd ...

Sarah Lucas Sarah Lucas (born 1962) is an English artist. She is part of the generation of Young British Artists who emerged during the 1990s. Her works frequently employ visual puns and bawdy humour by incorporating photography, collage and found objects. ...

Tracey Emin Tracey Karima Emin, CBE, RA (; born 3 July 1963) is a British artist known for her autobiographical and confessional artwork. Emin produces work in a variety of media including drawing, painting, sculpture, film, photography, neon text and ...

and

Joshua Compston Joshua Richard Compston (1 June 1970 – 5 March 1996) was a London curator and progressive thinker, whose company Factual Nonsense was closely associated with the emergence of the Young British Artists (YBAs). Early life and career beginnings ...

, as well as musicians such as Lisa Stansfield. As a promotional device, Wojas persuaded famous members, including

Kate Moss Katherine Ann Moss (born 16 January 1974) is a British model. Arriving at the end of the "supermodel era", Moss rose to fame in the early 1990s as part of the heroin chic fashion trend. Her collaborations with Calvin Klein brought her to fas ...

and

Sam Taylor-Wood Samantha Louise Taylor-Johnson OBE ( née Taylor-Wood; 4 March 1967) is a British filmmaker and photographer. Her directorial feature film debut was 2009's '' Nowhere Boy'', a film based on the childhood experiences of The Beatles songwriter ...

to serve drinks from behind the bar. Hirst explained that the attraction of the club was "because artists like drinking".

Closure

In 2008, Wojas announced that financial pressure would result in his not renewing the lease of the club, and it would have to close. He auctioned off some works of art, including a large Michael Andrews painting, which Wojas argued were under his control. The sale raised £40,000. Wojas's actions triggered furious opposition from some members who believed that the assets belonged to the members, and took Wojas to court to freeze the proceeds of the auction. A new governing committee was elected, amidst scenes of conflict between pro- and anti-Wojas factions. A campaign to keep the club open was fronted by dandy and artist

Sebastian Horsley Sebastian Horsley (born Marcus A. Horsley; 8 August 1962 – 17 June 2010) was an English artist and writer. Horsley's writing often revolved around his dysfunctional family, his flamboyant and eccentric behavior, his drug addictions, sex, and ...

, attempting to secure the use of the premises in the future. According to Horsley: "it has been a vibrant, unique and historical drinking den for artists, writers, musicians, actors and their acolytes. There is nowhere else like it in the world." He also said: "The Colony is a living work of art, it's a tragedy what's happening. From Bacon to Beckett,

Rimbaud Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud (, ; 20 October 1854 – 10 November 1891) was a French poet known for his transgressive and surreal themes and for his influence on modern literature and arts, prefiguring surrealism. Born in Charleville, he start ...

to Rotten, the Colony must not be forgotten." Wojas kept the keys to the club and closed the Colony Room Club at the end of 2008.

Dick Bradsell Richard Arthur Bradsell (4 May 1959 – 27 February 2016) was a British bartender noted for his innovative work with cocktails, including the creation of many new drinks now considered to be modern classics. ''The Observer'' described him as th ...

was working as barman at the time of closure. In his epitaph for the Colony Room Club, novelist

Will Self William Woodard Self (born 26 September 1961) is an English author, journalist, political commentator and broadcaster. He has written 11 novels, five collections of shorter fiction, three novellas and nine collections of non-fiction writing. Sel ...

argued against the view that the closure demonstrated that "the old Soho is being killed off by smoking bans and other sanitising measures. The truth is that there was another criterion for membership: the hardcore members were first and foremost raging alcoholics."

Cultural depictions

* 1962: Michael Andrews painted ''Colony Room I'', which depicted Muriel Belcher, Ian Board, Daniel Farson,

and Francis Bacon. The painting, on loan from

Pallant House Pallant House Gallery is an art gallery in Chichester, West Sussex, England. It houses one of the best collections of 20th-century British art in the world. History The Gallery's collection is founded on works left to the city of Chichester by ...

, was included in the exhibition ''All Too Human: Bacon, Freud and a Century of Painting Life'' at

Tate Britain Tate Britain, known from 1897 to 1932 as the National Gallery of British Art and from 1932 to 2000 as the Tate Gallery, is an art museum on Millbank in the City of Westminster in London, England. It is part of the Tate network of galleries in ...

in 2018. * 1998: Bacon, Belcher and the club were featured in

John Maybury John Maybury (born 25 March 1958) is an English filmmaker and artist. He first came to prominence as the director of the music video for the Pet Shop Boys 1984 single "West End Girls". In 2005 he was named as one of the 100 most influential gay ...

's film '' Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon'', in which Belcher was played by

Tilda Swinton Katherine Matilda Swinton (born 5 November 1960) is a British actress. Known for her roles in independent films and blockbusters, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award and a British Academy Film Award, in addition t ...

. * 2008: A fictionalised version appeared in the first story ("''Foie Humain''") of Will Self's collection ''

Liver The liver is a major organ only found in vertebrates which performs many essential biological functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the synthesis of proteins and biochemicals necessary for digestion and growth. In humans, it i ...

''. * 2008: The club was used as the set/venue for the ITV show '' Suggs in the City''. * 2012: ''The Colony Room Club 1948–2008: A History of Bohemian Soho'' was written and published by Sophie Parkin. * 2013: ''

Harpers & Queen ''Harper's Bazaar'' is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. It was first published in New York City on November 2, 1867, as the weekly ''Harper's Bazar''. ''Harper's Bazaar'' is published by Hearst and considers itself to be the s ...

'' published Carla Borel's photo series ''Stillsoho'', which included documentation of the club and its members such as Sebastian Horsley. * 2013: The club was parodied as "The Colonial Club" in

Matt Berry Matthew Charles Berry (born 2 May 1974) is an English actor, comedian, musician, and writer. He is best known for his roles in comedy series such as '' The IT Crowd'', '' Garth Marenghi's Darkplace'', ''The Mighty Boosh'', ''Snuff Box'', ''Wha ...

's ''

Toast of London ''Toast of…'' is a British television sitcom, known either as ''Toast of London'' (when it was set in London) or ''Toast of Tinseltown'' (with episodes set in America). It was created by Arthur Mathews and Matt Berry and stars Berry as Steven ...

''. * 2018: The club under Ian Board was described in detail in Christopher Howse's ''Soho in the Eighties'', published by

Bloomsbury Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London. It is considered a fashionable residential area, and is the location of numerous cultural, intellectual, and educational institutions. Bloomsbury is home of the British Museum, the largest ...

. * 2018: ''Tales From The Colony: The Lost Bohemia of Bacon, Belcher & Board'', was a history of the club based on interviews with former members, written by Darren Coffield. The

British Museum The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...

holds a collection of prints, ''Colony Room Suite'', depicting Muriel Belcher, Francis Bacon and Ian Board, amongst other members of the club, made by the artist Michael Clark.

Notable members

Well-known members of the Colony Room Club included: *

Jankel Adler Jankel Adler (born Jankiel Jakub Adler; 26 July 1895 – 25 April 1949) was a Polish Jewish painter and printmaker. Biography Jankiel Jakub Adler was born as the seventh of ten children in Tuszyn, a suburb of Łódź. In 1912 he began training ...

* Michael Andrews *

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Frank Auerbach Frank Helmut Auerbach (born 29 April 1931) is a German-British painter. Born in Germany, he has been a naturalised British subject since 1947. He is considered one of the leading names in the School of London, with fellow artists Francis Bacon ...

* Keith Bailey *

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* George Barker *

Timothy Behrens Timothy John Behrens (2 June 1937 – 2017) was a British painter who spent most of his professional life as a painter and a writer abroad, in Greece, Italy, and Spain. Early life Timothy John Behrens was born in London on 2 June 1937, the so ...

Elinor Bellingham-Smith Elinor Bellingham-Smith (28 December 1906 – 4 November 1988) was a British painter of landscapes and still life. Her paintings are in the collections of Tate, Museums Sheffield, the Government Art Collection, Arts Council Collection and other ...

Bruce Bernard Bruce Bernard (; 21 March 1928 – 29 March 2000) was an English picture editor, writer and photographer. He wrote for the ''Sunday Times'' and the '' Independent'' and photographed many influential artists in a career lasting nearly 40 years. ...

Lady Caroline Blackwood Lady Caroline Blackwood (16 July 1931 – 14 February 1996) was an English writer, and the eldest child of the 4th Marquess of Dufferin and Ava and the brewery heiress Maureen Guinness. Active in the literary world through her journalism an ...

* Peter Blake *

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* Carla Borel * Maurice Bowra *

Garech Browne Garech Domnagh Browne (25 June 1939 – 10 March 2018) was an Irish art collector and a notable patron of Irish arts, traditional Irish music in particular. He was often known by the Irish designation of his name, Garech de Brún, or alternative ...

* Robert Carrier * Patrick Caulfield * Michael Clark * Darren Coffield * Robert Colquhoun *

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* John Deakin * Tom Driberg *

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* Michael Elphick *

* Sandy Fawkes *

Barry Flanagan Barry Flanagan OBE RA (11 January 1941 – 31 August 2009) was an Irish-Welsh sculptor. He is best known for his bronze statues of hares and other animals. Biography Barry Flanagan was born on 11 January 1941 in Prestatyn, North Wales. F ...

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* Robert Fraser *

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* Allan Hall *

Nina Hamnett Nina Hamnett (14 February 1890 – 16 December 1956) was a Welsh artist and writer, and an expert on sailors' chanteys, who became known as the Queen of Bohemia. Early life Hamnett was born in Shirley House, Picton Road in the small c ...

* Michael Heath *

Christopher Hitchens Christopher Eric Hitchens (13 April 1949 – 15 December 2011) was a British-American author and journalist who wrote or edited over 30 books (including five essay collections) on culture, politics, and literature. Born and educated in England, ...

Eric Hobsbawm Eric John Ernest Hobsbawm (; 9 June 1917 – 1 October 2012) was a British historian of the rise of industrial capitalism, socialism and nationalism. A life-long Marxist, his socio-political convictions influenced the character of his work. ...

Michael Horovitz Michael Yechiel Ha-Levi Horovitz (4 April 1935 – 7 July 2021) was a German-born British poet, editor, visual artist and translator who was a leading part of the Beat Poetry scene in the UK. In 1959, while still a student, he founded the "tr ...

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John Hurt Sir John Vincent Hurt (22 January 1940 – 25 January 2017) was an English actor whose career spanned over five decades. Hurt was regarded as one of Britain's finest actors. Director David Lynch described him as "simply the greatest actor in t ...

* Alex James *

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* R. B. Kitaj *

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Jay Landesman Irving Ned "Jay" Landesman (July 15, 1919 – February 20, 2011) was an American publisher, nightclub owner, writer, and long-time expatriate resident in London, England. With the Beats He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the youngest of the fo ...

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* Ben Langlands *

* Robert MacBryde *

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* John Minton *

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* Frank Norman * Molly Parkin *

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* Jo Self *

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* Lisa Stansfield *

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* Gavin Turk *

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* Keith Vaughan

References

External links

360' of interior60th birthday essay by Sophie Parkin
{{DEFAULTSORT:Colony Room Club, The 2008 disestablishments in England Nightclubs in London Former pubs in London Pubs in Soho