Not eating meat is the choicest cut of all
Tim Dowling's column was very disturbing as I was expecting the delivery of my granddaughter's tortoise for its holiday (The tortoise has been plotting his escape for more than half a century, 17 May). She has had it since she was about six years old. I am 76 years old and now have a heavy responsibility to keep it enclosed and to provide shelter from the rain expected later in the week.Stephanie HarrisonBedford
A white stripe on the back of an errant tortoise will certainly make it easier to spot. Better still is to paint its home postcode and house number, for easier return. Postage stamp optional.Tim GosslingCambridge
'I fought off a polar bear with a saucepan,' says the headline on Pen Hadow's article (Experience, 16 May). But what was the polar bear doing with the saucepan in the first place?Melanie van NiekerkAlva, Clackmannanshire
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The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
I turned my small balcony into a slice of heaven with £7 grass rolls & £5 hanging baskets from B&M
A WOMAN has shared how she transformed her balcony into a 'slice of heaven' with some B&M bargains starting from just £5. The homeowner shared how she wanted to improve the look of her outdoor terrace, and managed to achieve this with some purse-friendly outdoor bits. 4 One of the first items she purchased was an extra large rug from B&M which had been reduced to £18. She then picked up a pergola, which was £90 down from £150 - and added two sets of solar lights that she got paid £30 for. To add a pop of colour and nature, she forked out for hanging baskets for £5 each, and she also snapped up a corner lamp and table for £30 from The Range. Another thing she did was to add fake grass to the floor, which she got reduced in B&M for just £7, and put fake Wisteria from Amazon around the walls. Although she got it last year, she said it was around the 'end of August' so you should watch out to see if it gets reduced this year too. Although she said it 'might not be classed as a bargain to some', many people were impressed with the terrace transformation. Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group. One person wrote: 'It looks gorgeous, a nice slice of heaven.' Another added: 'Looks lovely.' Meanwhile a third commented: 'Absolutely fab. Lovely set-up.' Amy Childs reveals HUGE garden and pool so posh it looks like a hotel spa 4 CHEAP GARDEN RENO Liv, who posts her money-saving hacks under @livloves, previously revealed four ways she gave her outdoor space a facelift on a budget. One job that didn't cost a penny but had immediate results was to pressure-wash her patio tiles. From looking dirty grey, Liv was able to change them to look gleaming and brand new. One way that Liv made a huge impact without spending too much money was to paint her shed to 'bring it back to life.' With a simple lick of paint she was able to completely transform the look of the building. 4 If you want to completely change the look of your garden, you may want to turn your attention to your fence. Liv painted her brown fence a striking black colour, and it instantly made her outdoor space look chic. Liv's final tip was to add borders into your garden so that she could 'slowly add colourful plants' too.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
How Soho House became the chicest venue for high society hedonism! Private club was Kate Moss' party spot of choice, hosted Harry and Meghan's first date and even turned away Kim Kardashian
It began as a networking destination for 'creatives', but Soho House quickly became a favorite hangout for celebrities such as Liam Gallagher and model Kate Moss to let down their hair and enjoy a lavish night out on the town. Opened in 1995 in London by Nick Jones, who is married to TV and radio presenter Kirsty Young, the private members' club worked on attracting creative clientele instead of the bankers and financiers that dominated other social clubs. It appeared to be a huge success, and Jones's brand of louche luxury combined with great service has seen famous faces such as Tom Cruise, Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa, rush to be a part of the ever-expanding club. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle even had their first date at a Soho House in London in July 2016, while before her wedding in 2018, the Duchess of Sussex was said to have enjoyed a stay at Soho's Cotswolds Farmhouse, dubbed the 'Butlins for toffs'. A membership at the club, priced at around £1,500 for global access, is thought to be a must-have for many of the world's elite - yet the chain is known to 'highly selective' about who it accepts as members. For instance, Kim Kardashian was famously thought to have been denied membership at the brand's West Hollywood venue (after they enforced a 'creativity over net worth' policy). It's unknown whether the reality TV star has since been made a member. Now with locations in New York, Miami, Austin, Chicago as well as Bangkok, Hong Kong, Barcelona and Paris, the brand shows no signs of slowing down. Further proof that the club's glory days are far from behind them is the announcement that the company is going private again in a $2.7billion (£2billion) deal led by New York-based MCR Hotels. A raft of existing shareholders, including Ron Burkle, Ivy Collection boss Richard Caring and founder Nick Jones, will retain their stakes in the company. A-list actor-turned-tech investor Ashton Kutcher will also invest in Soho House as part of the deal and will join the firm's board of directors. Founded by Nick Jones, the entrepreneur husband of Desert Island Discs presenter Kirsty Young, Soho House has for two decades been held up as the epitome of louche British cool. Formed in 1995 on London's Greek Street, the club started as a single space for local artists and actors to gather above Jones's restaurant Cafe Boheme. It has since turned into a sprawling global empire whose fans include socialites and celebrities from George and Amal Clooney to Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. 'We wanted it to be creative and like-minded, and, for people who were at ease with themselves,' Jones said in a 2017 interview. It quickly expanded to clubs elsewhere in London, and opened its first US club in New York in 2003. In 2008, Jones sold an 80 per cent stake in the club to British businessman Richard Caring for $144 million. Four years later in 2012, US billionaire Ron Burkle bought 50 per cent of the company from Caring and Jones. Since then, the company has ramped up its expansion plans, and began offering workspaces and health products under its lifestyle brand Cowshed. In 2010, it opened its first Los Angeles club, and immediately became a celebrity spotters paradise. The Hollywood Reporter called it 'the most important club in Hollywood - a high-wattage magnet for A-listers and dealmakers', in 2015. The club forbids the taking of photos of VIP celebrity guests with phone cameras. One couple who surreptitiously tried to get guests David and Victoria Beckham into the background of their selfie had their memberships revoked. Now boasting 46 Soho Houses, the clubs often include communal areas, restaurants and cafes with some boasting cinemas and swimming pools. Movie stars including Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie have been spotted at the venues, while Kate Moss is reportedly a member. One of the New York locations was once featured in an episode of Sex and the City, when Samantha Jones, unable to get off the waiting list, posed as a member to gain pool access for her and her friends. Members are forbidden from identifying fellow members on social media. (They're not even allowed to describe Soho House events on social media.) Soho House previously paused new memberships during the coronavirus pandemic to allow people to socially distance at its clubs. There was also an effort to cull some members to capture its founding spirit and attract more creatives. The company announced it was purging 1,000 members in 2010 from its New York house with Jones saying he was 'trying to get the club back to its creative roots.' 'When I went there, it didn't have the right feel anymore. It has always been a creative, friendly place with a relaxed feel,' he said. 'If there are too many corporate types around then that atmosphere doesn't occur.' The application process to become a member is comprehensive, requiring prospective members to provide a biography, explain what they can contribute and whether they already know existing members. The club has a membership committee of those who already have access which make the call on who may join. Membership at the venues is famously exclusive and is now seen as a coveted status symbol for jet-setting international 'creatives'. The Soho House website explains: 'Unlike other members' clubs, which often focus on wealth and status, we aim to assemble communities of members that have something in common: namely, a creative soul.' Founder Jones stepped down from the day-to-day running of the company in 2022 as he recovered from prostate cancer. Staying on in a founder role, he said at the time he had been 'spending a lot more time in our houses' as he has the 'space to focus more attention on the clubs themselves.' Jones said: 'Over the last 27 years I have run Soho House and more recently MCG by always putting members at the heart of everything we do. I am so proud of what we have achieved and grateful to all the teams who have helped us get to where we are today. 'I am going back to doing what I did for many, years, which is the reason I went into business, giving people a good time, getting people to meet new people and creating lovely spaces.' Jones grew up in Cobham, Surrey, and went to Shiplake College, a boarding school in Oxfordshire. When he left school at 17 he decided on a career in catering as he was 'obsessed with food'. He is married to Kirsty Young, the former presenter of Desert Island Discs who was forced to step down for health reasons. Young has spoken about the 'severe, relentless' pain that forced her off the air waves having been struck by a combination of rheumatoid arthritis and chronic pain disorder fibromyalgia. She delighted fans with a return to screens during the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Yesterday, it was announced that Soho House has been sold for £2 billion in a deal backed by a Hollywood A-lister. The celebrity hotspot is being taken over by a group of investors, including Ashton Kutcher, in a deal worth around $2.7 billion (£2 billion). The hospitality group, which is based in London but listed on the New York Stock Exchange, confirmed shareholders in Soho House & Co will receive $9 (£6.64) per share in the business. New York-based hotel giant MCR Hotels is leading the consortium, also including private equity firm Apollo, which struck the deal to take the company private. It will pay £2 billion to snap up the business, including its $700m (£5.1m) debts. A raft of existing shareholders, including Ron Burkle, Ivy Collection boss Richard Caring and founder Nick Jones, will retain their stakes in the company. A-list actor-turned-tech investor Mr Kutcher will also invest in Soho House as part of the deal and will join the firm's board of directors. MCR boss Tyler Morse will also join the board as vice chairman following the takeover. The business currently runs 46 Soho House sites, eight Soho Works and Scorpios Beach Clubs in Mykonos and Bodrum. It also owns the Ned and numerous other hospitality businesses. Andrew Carnie, chief executive of Soho House & Co, said: 'This transaction reflects the strong confidence our existing and incoming shareholders have in the future of Soho House & Co, and the transformation we've led since becoming a public company. 'Since our IPO (initial public offering) in 2021, we've focused on building a stronger, more resilient business. 'I'm incredibly proud of what our teams have accomplished and am excited about our future, as we continue to be guided by our members and grounded in the spirit that makes Soho House so special.' Mr Morse said: 'All of us at MCR are excited to be part of the Soho House journey, helping to create more experiences, interactions and memories alongside friends and members. 'We have long admired Soho House for bringing together cultures from around the world into a global network of 46 houses, and we look forward to the continued growth of that fabric, starting with four new houses opening soon.'
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
How ‘broken' Soho House plans to get its glamour back
When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle first met on a blind date in 2016, they chose the discreet location of Dean Street Townhouse, an outpost of private members' club Soho House, for their clandestine rendezvous. The date highlighted the enticingly exclusive appeal of the club, a place where David Beckham, Kate Moss and Leonoardo DiCaprio rubbed shoulders with a host of other A-listers. Such was the buzz around the brand a decade ago that a former director once claimed it had repeatedly denied Kim Kardashian membership because its admittance was too selective. Yet over the past few years, Soho House's glamorous star has faded. Its rapid expansion – it now boasts a not-so-exclusive network of almost 50 locations – as well as a troubled stock market flotation and criticism of overcrowding, has led to claims the brand had lost its way. On Monday, Soho House made its most ambitious move yet to get its mojo back, striking a $1.8bn (£1.3bn) takeover deal led by one of the largest hotel operators in the US. The takeover is expected to breathe new life into the private members' club as it fights to restore exclusivity to its global brand, but success is not guaranteed – can Soho House become the playground of the rich and famous once again? Soho House was launched by restaurateur Nick Jones from a single townhouse on Soho's Greek Street in 1995, with the aim of providing an exclusive refuge for the great and the good of London's creative industries. In the intervening decades, the group jettisoned its more stringent membership requirements and ballooned in size. It now has around 268,000 members in 46 clubs around the globe. Wall Street woes Yet this expansion has come with growing pains as members began to complain of clubs becoming too full, leading to lacklustre service. Soho House briefly stopped accepting new members in London, New York and Los Angeles last year. Jones, who is married to BBC presenter Kirsty Young, said the group was focused on 'making sure our houses don't feel too busy '. It is not just members who have been critical of the company. Soho House has also had a troubled relationship with Wall Street since its listing in 2021 at a valuation of $2.8bn. The company's share price fell sharply during its life as a listed company, prompting Ron Burkle, its billionaire chairman, to complain that the market had undervalued the group and that it had 'all the costs of being a public company with few benefits'. Perhaps most damaging was Soho House's clash with New York-based short seller GlassHouse, which published a damning criticism of the company's 'broken business model and terrible accounting'. Bosses said the report included 'factual inaccuracies, analytical errors and false and misleading statements'. The company has also faced pressure from Third Point, the hedge fund run by activist Dan Loeb, to seek outside investors who would deliver a higher valuation for the business. Burkle appears to have taken heed of the activist's demands, and the chain will now resume life as a private company in a deal spearheaded by MCR Hotels, a sprawling group that operates 25,000 hotel rooms. The $9-per-share deal, which values Soho House at around $1.8bn, represents an 83pc premium compared to the company's stock price at the end of last year. However, it is well below the $14-per-share price tag Soho House was given at its New York stock market float. Other investors in the deal to take the company private include Apollo Global Management and Goldman Sachs, as well as a consortium led by actor Ashton Kutcher. Burkle will roll over his existing stake under the terms of the transactions, as will Jones, as well as restaurateur Richard Caring. Tyler Morse, MCR's chief executive, will become deputy chairman of Soho House, while Kutcher will also join the board. Under Andrew Carnie, who took over as chief executive from Jones in 2022, Soho House has been looking to refocus its efforts on quality. It has upgraded its food and drink offering, introducing new wellness facilities and refurbishing some of its sites. It has invested more in events and experiences such as its London festival and pop-up hospitality suites at Formula One races, while it has recently opened exclusive new outposts, including Soho Mews House and Soho Farmhouse Ibiza. Speaking to the Telegraph earlier this year, Carnie described the club's approach as 'global but local'. 'The goal is always that wherever you are in the world, you walk in and you feel Soho House', he said. 'Feel the environment that we've created, the energy, the members, the way we serve our drinks, the lighting and the music. 'We have a lot of brand principles, but we do want you to have a different aesthetic experience in these houses.' Soho House has also cashed in on its popular homeware brand, which it is increasingly championing within its members' clubs with showrooms. The company now sells more than 30,000 units of furniture a year, up from 1,800 in 2019. There are signs that the turnaround efforts are starting to pay off. Soho House recently posted its first run of consecutive quarterly profits following three decades in the red. In an update published earlier this month, the company said operating profit stood at just under $60m in the three months to July – up from $35m in the previous quarter – while revenues grew thanks to increased membership and higher in-house food and drink sales. The question now is how Soho House will harness its new lease of life away from the glare of the public markets. The next chapter Industry experts believe the step to go private will be beneficial for bosses. Ted Schama, the founder of advisory group One Voice Hospitality, says it will give the company the 'autonomy to pick and choose roadmaps for growth and – during that period – not be penalised for investment and not showing profit'. In MCR hotels, Soho House has a new owner who is unafraid to take on big projects. After buying the BT Tower for £275m last year, the US company has outlined plans to transform the Grade II-listed landmark into a hotel. The group also owns a string of signature sites, including the famous 1960s-themed TWA Hotel at JFK Airport, as well as the High Line Hotel and the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York. Schama says that, with Soho House, MCR is gaining a business that already has an estate of 'blended' sites. Soho House's membership clubs are often located alongside office space – Soho Works – and come with hotel rooms, restaurants and swimming pools. 'Blended offerings are where it's at,' he says. 'I think there is tremendous appeal in that regard on a global scale.' Meanwhile, private ownership will undoubtedly liberate Soho House bosses from the expensive and time-consuming requirements of life on the stock market. Members say they are hopeful this heralds the start of a return to form for the company. One person who has been a Soho House member for the past 20 years says they thought it 'never should have been listed', adding: 'Reporting quarterly earnings is not exactly cool.' Already, there have been signs that it is rekindling its reputation as the place to be seen. In June, Dua Lipa hosted an after-party at Soho House's White City club in West London following her sold-out Wembley shows. With around 111,000 people on a waiting list for membership, cultivating this exclusivity is likely to require a disciplined approach to growth. In a memo to members on Monday, Carnie said the takeover would allow the company to 'think long-term, invest where it matters most, and keep strengthening what makes the houses and our membership community so special'. However, the Soho House boss was keen to stress that exclusivity will be at the heart of this plan. 'This next chapter is about taking the best of what we've built and making it better for our members around the world', he said. What this would mean is that 'membership feels just as special in the years ahead as it does today'.
