Boujis becomes members-only to avoid closure after violence

Celebrity haunt Boujis has escaped permanent closure by offering to become a private members’ club.

The South Kensington nightclub, once a favourite of Princes William and Harry, faced an application from police to shut it down after a reveller was assaulted and left with a suspected fractured cheekbone last month.

Rather than paying on the door, guests — who have included Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Lewis Hamilton — will be selected by a committee and pay a £350-a-year membership fee. There will be more of a focus on dining.

A report to Kensington and Chelsea council’s licensing committee included claims from residents’ groups that the club had failed to stem violence.

The club told the committee its staff had received more training in dealing with violent incidents and that the fight on March 6 was extremely rare.

Boujis had already been warned by the committee it was “drinking in the last chance saloon” when its licence was reviewed after a separate mass brawl last year.

Its licence was suspended after last month’s incident, and police criticised it for letting the alleged attacker leave and failing to stop staff cleaning up possible evidence.

Boujis said the club had “followed police procedures to the letter, even though the matter had been resolved and the injured party did not want to press charges”.

Police also claimed the assault was a “trigger” incident, which meant Boujis should be closed down permanently.

But the licensing committee has now accepted the venue’s offer to become a members-only club, closing at 2am rather than 3am.

Hundreds of thousands of pounds will be spent revamping the venue — more dining tables will be installed and the capacity will fall from about 195 to 165, including staff.

Boujis founder and chief executive Matt Hermer will chair the vetting committee.

He told the licensing committee he wanted an older clientele who would eat at the venue and then have a dance and a drink, following the model of renowned West End venue Annabel’s.