Mayfair clubs: 'There's no patriarchy here, it's just business and profit'
While some young women feel they are playing the system to get free nights out in exclusive clubs, others say feminism can't exist in these environments when marketers are 'making the most out of misogyny'
It’s no secret that some clubs are more exclusive than others. Mayfair clubs are known for their bright lights, strict dress codes and expensive drinks.
But in a post Me-Too society, is the principle of free entry for ‘pretty girls’ bigoted or purely marketing?
With club promoters advertising a free night out, everywhere from Instagram to Tinder, the line between being used and using the system by which these clubs operate is far from clear.
Branding for the male gaze is a key element to making money for Mayfair clubs, and if girls are benefitting from a free night out whilst men are being stripped of cash, who is really being discriminated against?
The question plaguing many women's minds is whether they can attend these clubs on the guest list and still deem themselves a feminist.
A Mayfair club promoter said that every girl he brings into the club is an extra £20 on top of his pay cheque. The easiest way for them to attract these girls is through social media.
Promoters will privately message girls they deem conventionally attractive or the ‘right look’ for the club, offering a spot on the club's guest list for a fun and free night out.
On the other hand, bouncers have been known to refuse entry to girls they deem ‘too big’, ‘not wearing enough make-up’ or ‘don’t fit the club’s aesthetic’.
The reasoning behind this system seems to be that having ‘pretty’ girls in the club will attract men who will pay for entry and drinks.
The eye-watering price of drinks in Mayfair clubs also only seems to apply to men.
One girl, who asked to remain anonymous, attends Mayfair clubs regularly and said: “I don’t even take my wallet when I go to Mayfair. Never in my life have I had to buy a drink in those kinds of clubs. They’re either handed to you by a promoter or bought for you by random guys.”
When I enquired about how much it would be for a table for four at one of the Mayfair clubs, the first question I was asked was what’s the girl to guy ratio. I said four men and they said it would be a minimum spend of £1,000.
I asked how the price would change if we added four girls to the table. To my surprise they said it would remain at £1,000 even though there would now be eight people instead of four.
This seems to be 'pretty privilege' at its finest. The term ‘pretty privilege’ defines physically attractive people who consistently receive preferential treatment across a wide range of contexts.
The Mayfair clubbing scene is one area in society where girls are being rewarded for purely being society's definition of attractive.
Mayfair clubs often host social media influencers and celebrities.
Sharon Gaffka was on Love Island's 7th season and has since used her platform to campaign for women's rights.
She explained the tension between adhering to a system designed to appease the male gaze and the temptation of a 'free night out' whilst maintaining feminist principles.
Instagram poll
Instagram poll
Instagram poll
Instagram poll
Instagram poll
Instagram poll
In a survey of 100 people, 65% of women said you can attend Mayfair on the guest list and still deem yourself a feminist, whilst only 30% of men agreed.
Only 16% of women found feminism and Mayfair clubs incompatible, compared with a whopping 54% of men.
One male respondent said: "I think as a feminist you would need to decide whether you believe a club is the main reason for perpetuating the male gaze problem in society but also about the girls that don't get in for free. Isn't that f****d up?"
Another female respondent said: "Mayfair clubs are just making the most out of misogyny, so why shouldn't girls as well. That doesn't make you a bad feminist."
After speaking to women who had attended a Mayfair club, it became apparent that to men these places are seen as flashy dating venues.
Traditional dating culture sees the guy taking a girl out, the guy paying the bill, the guy giving a girl flowers. If this mindset is transferred into clubbing then expectations and demands arise.
If men expect attention and interest after spending £100 on a dinner during a consensual date, is it naive to think those expectations won't rise when they've bought an £1,000 table in a club they view as a dating spot?
It's then up to women to navigate these expectations in a way that suits them, and then for security to step in if expectations turn into demands.
A Surverymokney questionaire revealed that most feel Mayfair clubs are snobby, closely followed by overated.
A Surverymokney questionaire revealed that most feel Mayfair clubs are snobby, closely followed by overated.
"There's no patriarchy here, it's just business and profit."
A club promoter from one of Mayfair's most popular clubs explained how, from his perspective, the exclusivity is nothing but a marketing strategy.
He asked to remain anonymous.
Gazing out of his floor to ceiling window, overlooking London's bright lights, he said people who hate Mayfair clubs only do so due to a variety of misconceptions.
“The biggest misconception about Mayfair clubs and promoters is that we only want to invite girls. We only invite girls because its only guys booking tables. We are more than happy for girls to buy tables and do what they want. But they don’t.
“The majority of the money clubs make is from people paying for entry and buying tables, and the majority of people buying tables in Mayfair clubs are men, so of course we are thinking about what guys want.”
He made the comparison to mainstream shops like Zara which will have two floors for women’s clothing and one floor split between men’s and kid’s clothes. They do this because they know the majority of people who shop there are women, and so cater to what women want or might be looking for.
Does this mean Mayfair clubs are no different in the way that they too are selling products, tables, drinks and entertainment? If so, they too will naturally cater to the wants of their biggest customer, men.
He said: “Men want to go to a club with the best-looking women, so in order to get these men to buy tables at our club we need to be known as having the best-looking women. It’s as simple as that.”
When asked if there were higher standards for women's entry than men's, the promoter said: "No, if anything it's the other way round.
"The same way we ask women to wear heels or boots, men are not allowed to wear trainers or hoodies. The men allowed in are wearing suits, turtle necks and loafers.
"On top of that, the men who come have to be able to buy a £1,000 table. If you really want to call Mayfair clubs something, call them classist.
"We consider ourselves a fancy club, so we want everyone to be fancy."
Feminism in today's society lies on a wide spectrum of ideas and voices.
Hence answering the internally conflicting question of whether feminism is compatible with Mayfair is ultimately up to the individual.
One of the most important aspects of feminism is the freedom of choice for women, and it is up to each girl who enters a Mayfair club to decide whether they feel their autonomy is being hindered or not.
Exclusivity in fancy clubs is heavily ingrained into parts of London nightlife and on the whole accepted by 21st century society.
Are Mayfair clubs a guilty pleasure or so complicated that people can't decide on who, or if, anyone is truly being discriminated against?
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