Mayfair members' club Maison Estelle shuts after police seek licence review over alleged weapon incident

A private members' club in Mayfair, west London, has closed its doors while the Metropolitan Police investigate allegations of threatening behaviour and whether a firearm — or an imitation one — was brandished in a street close to the venue. Maison Estelle, a seven-floor townhouse venue on Grafton Street that has attracted celebrities including Princess Beatrice, Idris Elba and Kim Kardashian, confirmed it would shut "for a few weeks" while the inquiries continue.

The Met said it had asked Westminster City Council to review the club's alcohol licence, telling the licensing authority that the premises was "allegedly associated with serious crime, or serious disorder, or both". That phrasing is the standard test police apply when seeking a review, and it does not itself imply that any individual has been charged or convicted of an offence.

The action relates to an incident on 19 September, according to the force. No injuries were reported. Officers said the circumstances remain under investigation, including whether a firearm or imitation firearm was involved, and signalled that a further hearing would be held "in due course".

Councillors suspended the licence with immediate effect at a private hearing on Thursday, after considering the Met's application and written representations. Westminster City Council said the decision was made "in the interest of public safety", and confirmed that Maison Estelle did not oppose the police request at that meeting — a notable point, since premises facing a suspension often choose to contest the evidence at the outset.

A spokesperson for the club said: "The safety of our staff, our members and their guests will always come first." The venue added that it is continuing to work closely with Westminster City Council and the police "as we review our licence conditions and procedures", signalling that internal changes are under consideration while the investigation runs.

Councillors will revisit the licence at a full hearing scheduled to take place within 28 days. At that stage, the club is expected to be able to present its own case in full, and the council can either restore the licence, extend the suspension or take other steps available to a licensing panel.

Maison Estelle occupies a large black-and-white Georgian townhouse, with planted trees flanking the entrance porch and long windows overlooking Grafton Street. According to its website, the venue has four dining rooms, 11 bars and two floors of dedicated "nightlife spaces", a scale that reflects how seriously the operators treat the licensed operation — and how many people a single licence decision can affect.

That reach is reflected in the price of entry. Membership costs £5,950 a year, placing the club among the more expensive private clubs in central London and well above the going rate for typical private members' organisations. Members' clubs in the capital have come under sustained scrutiny in recent years over access, security and their relationships with the authorities, and the higher fees have made venues of this kind particular flashpoints.

The shutdown is not the first time a high-profile London members' club has lost its licence amid allegations of disorder. BBC reporting in November 2024 documented the closure of the Groucho Club over "serious crime" claims, an episode that prompted wider questions about how licensing panels weigh the commercial and social value of well-known venues against police concerns.

Under England's licensing framework, the police, alongside councils and other public bodies, can act as responsible authorities and ask a licensing panel to review or suspend a premises licence where they have concerns about crime or disorder. A temporary suspension is a protective measure rather than a verdict: it removes the ability to sell alcohol while the issues are examined, and it does not determine whether wrongdoing took place.

For Maison Estelle, the immediate consequences are commercial as well as legal. Staff face uncertainty over wages and rosters; members who paid annual subscriptions will be seeking refunds or explanations; and the club's brand, built partly on exclusivity and discretion, will be difficult to rebuild while a police investigation into a possible firearm remains open.

Questions are also likely to centre on what the Met has established so far, whether any individuals have been arrested or questioned in relation to the September incident, and why the review was not sought until now. The force has not published details of the incident, and the club has not commented on the specific allegations.

Reopening will depend on two separate processes moving forward. One is the police investigation, which will establish what happened on the street and whether the premises itself was involved. The other is the licensing review, where Westminster City Council will weigh the evidence against the club's representations before deciding whether Maison Estelle can trade again.

For now, the Georgian townhouse stands shuttered, and the questions raised at Thursday's hearing — including the possibility of a weapon — are likely to dominate the case when councillors reconvene within the month.