Latest news with #BritishClub
Gulf Weekly
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Weekly
Odd couple on stage
Get ready for a night of laughter as the Manama Theatre Club brings Neil Simon's classic comedy The Odd Couple, to the stage at the British Club in Um Al Hassam tomorrow, May 30, and Saturday, May 31. The play surrounds the hilarious and calamitous cohabitation of two polar-opposite personalities: the slovenly, easygoing sportswriter Oscar Madison and the obsessively neat, neurotic news-writer Felix Ungar. The result is a side-splitting exploration of friendship, frustration, and the everyday absurdities of human relationships. Tickets for this must-see production are priced at BD8.500 for Brit Club members and BD10 for general admission. They are available for purchase on Platinumlist. For more information, call 17728245
Gulf Weekly
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Weekly
Jazz it up
The British Club will once again host the Jazz Orchestra of Bahrain for a special evening of live music by the poolside tonight, May 22, from 8pm. Back by popular demand, the Jazz Orchestra of Bahrain is set to deliver another captivating performance, offering guests an unforgettable night of smooth and soulful jazz under the stars. The event is free for members, while non-members can attend for just BD1. Music lovers and jazz enthusiasts are encouraged to attend and enjoy the atmosphere at one of Bahrain's most iconic venues. For details, contact reception@ or call 17728245.
The National
24-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Abu Dhabi club ponders next move after confirming it will leave its current plot
A year ago, The Club, a decades-old leisure facility situated on coastal land near Abu Dhabi's Mina Zayed, had to contend with the challenges posed by the great April storm that rolled across the country. Record-breaking rainfall hit the facility over the course of a few hours, causing damage that took weeks to repair. Some might say that The Club is now facing another significant challenge 12 months on from that generational storm. Last summer, the social club informed its members (this columnist included) by email that it had been served notice on its plot, which was originally gifted to the organisation in the 1960s. 'We are to be transferred from the current site to a new location by quarter four [in] 2026,' an email to its membership read. The complex is recognised as one of the top 100 city clubs in the world and its nearly 3,500 current members hail from more than 80 countries, despite being colloquially and erroneously known to many as the 'British Club'. Annual memberships cost about Dh5,000 for an adult, with new members also required to pay a joining fee. The organisation says its members consider the premises as a 'second home' in the city. In the same message, members were informed that it was the organisation's preference to stay put. The memo said that The Club intended to hold an extraordinary general meeting once further discussions had been had with the relevant authorities. According to the organisation's constitution, an EGM requires 28 days' notice and can be called at any time. Subsequent emails to members described the prospect of relocation as inevitable and confirmed that the organisation 'will be moving to a new home'. The organisation also said a site had been earmarked for it in the Raha Beach area of the city, part of a ribbon of real estate adjacent to the E10 highway on the mainland, but that the conversation surrounding the relocation was 'ongoing'. Without more formal plans in place regarding when and how the organisation will move, an EGM has not been convened and won't be until there is greater certainty about the situation. The Club declined to comment when contacted by The National about the relocation, but it did confirm that the narrative of events presented here is accurate. To some degree, the organisation finds itself caught between its present circumstances on an expensive-to-run site that is fast ageing into mandated obsolescence and its future that is likely to involve a substantial financial outlay to realise the potential promise of a largely undeveloped site. Anyone who has ever moved home knows it's a costly enterprise. Anyone who has ever built a house from scratch also knows financial risk and reward rarely operate in neat balance and that it might take years and significant funds to finish such a project. Next week, The Club will hold its annual general meeting, the second such assembly since the 2024 great storm, but the first since the organisation was served its notice to leave its current plot. The organisation's constitution requires it to hold its AGM no later than the last day of April each year. The Club's messages about the coming meeting remind members that the meeting is an opportunity to 'have their say' about the present and future of the organisation. Despite the absence of an EGM, this year's annual meeting is likely to be extraordinary given the circumstances, even if not by definition. While such meetings have set rhythms and regulatory requirements regarding discussions of financial performance and plans, it may be a night when hard talk and, possibly, raw emotions about the existing site's legacy and significance come to the fore, as well as the bigger question of what happens next? History provides mixed precedents for those who wonder what the future might hold. In the neighbouring emirate, Dubai Country Club was established in 1971, post-dating The Club by nearly a decade, although its main attraction was a sand golf course rather than the sandy beach. Considered a 'place to be' in its 20th-century heyday, DCC closed in 2007 due to redevelopment of its site, which also sat on gifted land. DCC hoped to move to a new location equipped with a clubhouse, several sports facilities and a large pool, but its post-global financial crisis rebirth failed when it proved impossible to raise sufficient funds for development plans. Abu Dhabi Country Club in Mushrif, established in 1999, suspended many of its services earlier this year to undergo redevelopment, although its social media accounts say the work is intended to create a better experience for its patrons. Before it was renamed in 2014, Abu Dhabi's Al Zahiyah neighbourhood was known as the Tourist Club because of a beach and leisure facility built next to Le Meridien. The hotel is still an Al Zahiyah fixture and it was granted 'unconditional protection' in 2023 through a Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi initiative, but the tourist club itself is long gone, even if it survived for many years as a shorthand description for a particular pocket of the city. None of which should be read as a predictor of what may happen next to The Club, which was established in 1962, but what is certain is that dialogue will be crucial over the coming months.
Gulf Weekly
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Weekly
Colours of life
melissa@ WORDSMITHS in Bahrain and beyond will gather for the kingdom's much-awaited annual poetry festival tomorrow, staged by the Bahrain Writers' Circle, featuring diverse themes like nature, childhood memories, love and loss and more. Colours of Life will showcase 25 poets of various nationalities, including Canadian, Indian, British, Irish and Mauritian talents. They will present their creative interpretations of 'colours' across the spectrum. While the event will be hosted on The Terrace at the British Club in Um Al Hassam, former Bahrain residents who continue to be members of the group will join it from various parts of the world, including the UK, Canada and Dubai. The festival is being organised by The Second Circle, a sister group of BWC, founded by former resident and Irish poet David Hollywood. David launched the poetry festival's inaugural edition at Bahrain Fort in 2012. 'The Second Circle troupe of poets was created in order to meet on a monthly basis to encourage and inspire each member to new, and then higher levels of poetic creation,' David, who left Bahrain in 2016 but is an active member of the BWC, told GulfWeekly. 'As the formula proved successful, it was determined to provide an opportunity for those poets to publicly showcase their works through a festival of celebration. To our surprise and delight, it was such a success upon its launch, that it went on to become an annual event,' the author, who will participate this year, added, while also revealing his ambitious hopes for Colours of Life to become an international festival someday. BWC director Saira Ranj hopes to present her piece, which conjures an image of 'blood red' hues. In it, she reminisces her life journey. She notes that the festival brings together her two passions – the written word and colours. The artist and marketing manager, who has her own art studio in Bahrain Financial Harbour, has been living in the kingdom for the last eight years. 'Colours possess the remarkable ability to evoke feelings, convey moods, and transport us to different realms of imagination. Combine that with poetry and you get emotional alchemy,' the Indian expatriate from Seef said. Darius Abbasi, a British national of Iranian origin, who has been a BWC member for the last seven years and is part of the team steering the group, will be flying down to the kingdom from Dubai specifically for the event. He is set to present a poem about hope and gratitude, which according to him is best symbolised by 'white'. 'The inspiration came to me when I was visiting my dad. We spoke about his charity projects and the ensuing challenges, sitting under the sun with a garden in front of us,' the senior digital engagement director, who lived in Bahrain for four years, said. An excerpt from the former Seef resident's work reads: 'My father sitting by my side Each line on his face telling a story His kind and soothing words, full of hope' Indian expatriate and educator Raji Murali, who also joined the group seven years ago, has chosen the colour green to bring alive her experience in the midst of nature. 'I was fascinated to know how poets associate their experiences and emotions in words linking them with a colour, which spurred me on to participate in the festival. I wanted to share my first trip to Coorg, a beautiful hill station in southern India. After a long road trip from Bangalore, we reached Abbey Falls and had to trek half a mile into the forest at sunset to reach this place. My poem tries to recreate this experience,' project director at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam International Foundation, who manages their overseas education initiatives, said. An excerpt from the Hoora resident's poem reads, 'The Golden sunset filled the thick forest and our pleasant journey unfolds. Fragrances of blooming flowers filled the air, The moment when our senses were stolen away,' The event is open to all on a first-come-first-served basis and will run from 7pm to 8.30pm.
Gulf Weekly
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Weekly
Club to mark St Patricks Day
Join the British Club for a stellar afternoon as it hosts its St Patricks Day event tomorrow. A variety of food and beverage packages are available at the club for members and non-members. For details, call 17728245 or email reception @
