Licence suspended for Mayfair members' club as Met probes alleged weapon incident

A private members' club in Mayfair has shut its doors and had its alcohol licence suspended after the Metropolitan Police asked Westminster City Council to review it over alleged threatening behaviour and a claim that a weapon was brandished in a street nearby. The venue, Maison Estelle, is understood to have told members it will remain closed for "a few weeks" while the investigations continue.

The Met said it applied to the council to review the premises' licence, arguing the site was "allegedly associated with serious crime, or serious disorder, or both". The force linked the application to an incident that took place on 19 September, adding that no injuries were reported.

Councillors suspended the licence at a private hearing on Thursday, taking effect immediately. Westminster City Council said that, having considered the application and the relevant representations, members suspended the licence "in the interest of public safety". Notably, the club itself did not put up a defence to the Met's case at the hearing.

A Met spokesperson said: "A further hearing will be held in due course." The force also stressed that the wider picture is still being established, adding: "The circumstances remain under investigation, including whether a firearm – or imitation firearm – was involved." That distinction matters: the investigation into whether a genuine or replica weapon was used, and by whom, is at the centre of the case, and no conclusion has been reached.

Maison Estelle has not disputed the police account. A spokesperson said the safety of staff, members and guests would "always come first", and added: "We are continuing to work closely with Westminster City Council and the police as we review our licence conditions and procedures." The reference to reviewing internal conditions and procedures suggests the club is already examining how it operates, rather than simply waiting for the police to finish their work.

The immediate suspension is only the first stage of a process that could prove far more consequential for the business. Councillors are due to hold a full hearing within 28 days, and it is at that meeting that the licence could be formally revoked or varied, with conditions imposed, or reinstated. A full hearing gives all parties — including residents and other responsible authorities — the chance to be heard at length, and typically runs considerably longer than a summary suspension.

The club occupies a striking site in the centre of Mayfair: a large black-and-white Georgian townhouse on Grafton Street, with planted trees either side of the porch and long windows overlooking the pavement. According to its own website, the seven-floor venue spreads across four dining rooms, 11 bars and two floors of what it describes as "nightlife spaces" — a scale that explains why its licence conditions, and the question of how crowds and alcohol are managed on the site, fall within the council's regulatory interest.

Access to such a venue comes with a substantial price tag. Membership costs £5,950 a year, and the club is associated with a high-profile guest list: Princess Beatrice, Idris Elba and Kim Kardashian are all named in the BBC's reporting as having visited. A temporary closure of a venue of that profile is likely to generate a considerable volume of speculation in Westminster, and pressure to make the licence hearing an open and visible occasion.

The case is not the first of its kind in central London. BBC News previously reported that the Groucho Club closed after "serious crime" claims were made against it, a story published in November 2024. That comparison will shape how quickly and how firmly the council acts, even though the circumstances of the two venues differ and no finding has been made against Maison Estelle.

The legal framework is significant for how quickly the situation can move. In England and Wales, premises licences fall under the Licensing Act 2003, and police hold the power to trigger a review of an existing licence where they have concerns about a premises. That power does not depend on anyone being arrested or charged; it exists precisely so that action can be taken while an investigation is still running, and it sets a lower threshold than a criminal case.

Suspension of a licence is a blunt instrument with wide-reaching effects. Trading has to stop, staff lose shifts or are stood down, suppliers and bookers withdraw, and revenue disappears — all while the club, which pays for its premises, staff and security regardless, continues to incur costs. The council's finding of public safety, and the club's statement that safety "will always come first", are mutually reinforcing, but the commercial consequences for the business are immediate.

For members, the practical details are limited. The club said it would be closed for "a few weeks", and the Met said a further hearing will be scheduled in due course, with the full council hearing expected within 28 days. Whether the venue can reopen before that hearing, and on what terms, is a matter for councillors — and it will depend heavily on what the investigation reveals about the 19 September incident.

The Met's caution over whether a firearm, an imitation firearm or neither was involved is likely to remain central to any full hearing. Members of the public, neighbours and other guests who were in the area at the time may hold information relevant to the inquiry, and the investigation remains open. For now, the position is that a celebrated Mayfair institution is closed, its licence is suspended on public safety grounds, and no one has been charged.