WHEN it comes to the night life of the rich and famous, hedonism and scandal typically go hand in hand.
And some of the UK’s most infamous clubs have certainly played host to their fair share of , drugs and rock and roll over the years.
A gang of squatters broke into royal hangout Raffles in Chelsea last weekend to hold an illegal rave Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk
Prince William leaving the iconic Raffles nightclub at 4am following a night out Credit: Focus Pictures
While wellness-conscious are increasingly opting for morning pilates and smoothies over alcohol-fuelled benders, visiting these haunts has been a right of passage for royalty and A-listers over the past few decades.
This week, posh club Raffles – once popular with the likes of and , and – overrun by squatters who recently
Around £25,000 worth of damage was done and £10,000 booze stolen from the iconic Chelsea hotspot, which first opened in 1967 on the King’s Road and anonymous banker spend over £40,000 during one night out in 2012.
The break-in came after the venue had just been refurnished and was preparing for a grand reopening.
But it’s not the only iconic venue that, behind their velvet ropes, played host to some of the most wild celeb-filled parties of the past 60 years.
Here are some of the top haunts of the golden years of celebrity hedonism, and the scandals which inevitably unfolded within their walls…
Tramp, Mayfair
London-based was the den of debauchery where royals rubbed shoulders with Rolling Stones and A-listers jostled to be on the guest list.
The likes of , , three – , and – and all stopped by to party into the early hours.
Opened in 1963, with the aim to have the “smell of exclusivity and sex” linger in the air, it became the go-to place for the hedonist aristocracy.
Part of the appeal was that photos were banned, asking for an autograph would get you immediately kicked out, and there was a tag line of “what happens in Tramp, stays in Tramp.”
Tramp has played host to royalty, socialites and A-listers alike in its 60 years Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Tara Palmer-Tomkinson turning up to her 21st birthday at Tramp in 1998 with a bikini and snorkel Credit: Rex Features
Tramp inspired Jackie Collins’s erotic 1969 novel The Stud, and the 1978 film was shot there, including a scene of Jackie’s sister Joan cavorting on a swing Credit: Alamy
Tramp was where the late socialite partied in her bikini and it was used by as his personal dating service.
The rocker once declared: “It’s lucky they didn’t have camera phones back in those days at Tramp or we’d all be in prison . . . the things we got up to.”
The Who’s hell-raising drummer turned up at Tramp naked, strapped to the bonnet of a white Rolls-Royce.
Other party-loving celebs who descended on the venue over the next half century include , Kate Moss , and , who famously attended her 21st birthday party in 1998 wearing only a bikini, fur coat and snorkel.
Naomi Campbell – seen leaving Tramp in 1994 – was a mainstay on the party scene in the 1990s Credit: Getty
Prince Andrew (pictured right in 1984) was a regular at Tramp Credit: Getty
The night club unwittingly became embroiled in the scandal when his sex abuse accuser claimed he’d “sweat profusely” while dancing with her on the Tramp dancefloor.
The disgraced prince infamously hit back, claiming he had a “peculiar medical condition” at the time which had meant he .
In 2024, the exclusive playhouse shut after 50 years, and reopened having undergone a major £12million refurbishment and new management in Luca Maggiora.
Its private membership (£2,000-a-year) ensures that the crowd is curated, and its exclusive members now have access to a 2,000-sq-ft health and wellness sister club, where Tramp members can work off their hangovers from the night before.
Sugar Hut, Essex
Towie hotspot Sugar Hut in Essex regularly featured on the show. Previous owner, the late Towie star Mick Norcross, with the club’s ‘honeys’ Credit: Getty Images – Getty
Pamela Anderson seen exiting the Brentwood hotspot in 2012 Credit: Alamy
It was once the beating heart of The Only Way is Essex and played host to many of its most jaw-dropping moments for over a decade.
In its heyday, Sugar Hut became a showbiz hotspot – and had its share of guests, including star .
First opening its doors in 2004, Sugar Hut quickly became known as a glitzy oasis in the heart of Brentwood, in part due to ‘honeys’.
The stunning girls were hired to party with Mick and the other guests and occasionally even went on to become famous faces themselves.
Before she entered the first series of in 2015, worked as a Sugar Hut Honey.
In 2016, cast member had a bust-up at the club, and was investigated by , after allegedly getting involved in a fight with two women.
Sugar Hut is now up for sale and will set you back around £3.85million Credit: Alamy
Carol Wright and Lauren Goodger at the Towie wrap party in 2011 Credit: Alamy
Hannah Elizabeth worked as a Sugar Hut Honey before Love Island Credit: Instagram/hannahelizinsta
Porn star Stacey Lacey shot an X-rated film at the venue Credit: Alamy
Allegations passed to The Sun claimed a third party was trying to pull the reality star’s hands from a girl’s hair when security intervened.
The infamous Essex nightclub in Brentwood was previously owned by late Towie star Mick Norcross , who in January 2021.
He sold The Sugar Hut in 2019 for an undisclosed sum, after claiming he didn’t want it to be associated with Towie anymore.
After Mick died in 2021, it emerged he’d once allowed a hardcore porn film based on Towie, titled The Only Way Is Es(Sex) to be filmed at Sugar Hut.
In the X-rated movie, actors Stacey Lacey and Kai Taylor are said to engage in sexual acts on a sofa, with the familiar triangular TOWIE logo seen in the background.
Mick took a “substantial fee” from Television X, who produced the film, to help pay for his mountain of debts, which sources claimed was up to £8.5million.
A TV source shared: “ITV2 bosses were fuming when they found out.”
Located on Brentwood High Street, the venue – which is a prominent part-listed property spanning 13,225 square feet and arranged over a basement, ground, and two upper floors – remains closed and is
Mahiki, Mayfair
Iconic noughties club Mahiki opened in 2006Credit: Not known clear with Picture Desk
Future monarch Prince William partied with the then-Kate Middleton at Mahiki. Pictured in 2006 Credit: Rex
Rita Ora partying at an after show shindig at Mahiki London in February 2013 Credit: Dave Benett
Rihanna enjoying her birthday celebrations there in 2009 Credit: Getty
Another place frequented by royals is iconic noughties club Mahiki, which opened in 2006.
The Polynesian-themed hub was once run by , now married to , and played host to , , and among others.
One of its iconic offerings was its treasure box cocktails – a favourite of Prince Harry, who celebrated his return from Afghanistan there.
It has also been visited by Hollywood actress and her then co-star , who sparked romance rumours back in 2012, after being spotted kissing inside.
However, the next time Amanda visited went under the radar, with her reportedly putting on a waitress’s outfit and spending the evening serving cocktails for fun.
In 2021, Mahiki closed its doors after 16 years.
The Haçienda, Manchester
Manchester’s The Haçienda was also a notorious party spot Credit: Manchester Evening News
A young Noel Gallagher partied at The Hacienda before forming Oasis Credit: Rex
Up in Manchester, The Haçienda was the legendary home of sex, drugs and acid house in the Eighties.
The nightclub, which ran from 1982 to 1997, aimed to rival clubbing capitals New York and Paris with its layout, door policy and, crucially, discerning music choices.
Spice Girl, who lived in Leeds, would regularly party there, and Take That’s , himself a Mancunian, was seen busting moves.
The club gained a huge profile boost when the music show The Tube, hosted by, filmed an episode there in 1984.
Hedonistic clubbers at The Hacienda enjoyed wild nights at the venue Credit: Men Syndication
ITV dance music show The Hitmen And Her also dropped by, and hosts and were somewhat taken aback by a crowd as high as kites while being broadcast on national telly.
But clubbers at The Haçienda were too cool to care much about celebs.
As attention to the club boomed, and the subsequent Madchester scene, so did the problem of gangsters moving into the venue — lured by the prospect of dealing drugs.
So the management came up with a clever idea, which initially worked — they started staging huge gay nights there to scare away the mobsters.
Hacienda’s openly gay nights were hugely popular with punters Credit: Rex
The result was Flesh. It was a very different kind of hedonistic night at the Haçienda, that ran from 1991 — and proved so popular that organisers had to filter out heterosexual people at the door who might not like what they saw inside.
Flesh DJ Kath McDermott said: “It was completely outrageous and extraordinary. You’d see people naked, loads of S&M dykes, people having full sex, drag queens everywhere — it was just beautiful.
“Before that point people didn’t want to go to gay clubs — and we got to the point where so many straight people were wanting to come, gay people were complaining they couldn’t get in.”
Sadly, the club went on to die a slow death until its closure in 1997.
Groucho Club, Soho
Soho-based Groucho Club has played host to countless booze-loving revellers Credit: PA
Lily Allen grabbing a camera as she leaves the notorious hot spot Credit: Max Butterworth
A party-loving Noel Fielding leaving Grouch Club at 2am Credit: EDB Image Archive
Just the name ‘Groucho Club’ became a byword for debauchery, so much so that manager Bernie Katz once claimed: “If those walls could talk, I’d be out of a job.”
Despite respected Stephen Fry as one of the private members clubs’ founders, the Soho-based club has been known as a .
From with cocaine to writer Toby Young reportedly being booted out after getting caught in a clinch with a Princess Diana lookalike in the loos, the tales were infamous.
Cocaine was so rife there the snooker room was renamed the “Peruvian Procurement Department” – despite there being a strict no-drugs policy that once saw Lily Allen kicked out.
Other booze-loving revellers included Kate Moss, Blur’s Alex James, Sienna Miller, Courtney Love and Keith Allen – who regularly got “publicly loaded” at the bar.
Liam Gallagher was allegedly kicked out for smashing a window, and shark-dissecting artist Damien Hurst once doused a fellow reveller’s chest hair with whiskey and set it on fire, leading to an A&E trip.
The hellraiser also urinated in an ice tray but didn’t tell anyone and put his £25,000 Turner Prize money behind the bar.
Modern stars who have popped in to party too included Rita Ora, Harry Styles, Noel Fielding and Jonathan Creek’s Alan Davies, who was bizarrely once caught on CCTV biting a homeless man’s ear after a wild night.
Annabel’s, Mayfair
Annabel’s has made a name for itself over the past 60 years as the fanciest of private members clubs Credit: Getty
It has played host to royalty in the past, including Queen Elizabeth II Credit: Getty
, also in Mayfair, is typically thought of as one of the most high-brow private members clubs.
famously stopped by with pal a few days before in 1986 – disguised as police officers.
Fergie later recalled: “Princess Diana’s costume was very good. We sat down and the waiter came up to us and said, ‘Excuse me, this is a member’s club and it’s for fun. We don’t serve police officers here’.”
Kate Moss and Jemima Khan locking lips at Annabel’s in 2006 Credit: Getty – Contributor
Opened in 1963, it’s believed to be the only nightclub ever visited by the late , who attended the 70th birthday of Lady of the Bedchamber, Virginia Ogilvy and reportedly sipped on a gin martini, without lemon.
Singer was famously banned for several years after assaulting Louis, while was refused entry after attempting to bribe him.
Legendary guests also include and , Dame Elizabeth Taylor and – with the latter getting changed into his gladrags in the toilets after performing at .
Kate Moss on the decks at Annabel’s in October 2014 Credit: Getty
Over the years , , and also passed through its gilded doors – provided they stuck to the smart dress code.
were infamously refused entry for not wearing the right shoes, while couldn’t get in because he wasn’t wearing a tie.
Annabel’s – which costs from £3,250 in annual member fees – famously played host to a 2006 charity auction which saw Kate Moss sell a kiss for £60,000 to retail mogul .
He then gave the gift to screenwriter , prompting her to take the “60-second smacker” instead of him.
Stringfellows, Covent Garden
Club owner Peter Stringfellow with women in 1994 Credit: News UK Ltd
When you entered , you were welcomed by topless female hosts and lavish late night entertainment.
Britain’s most famous nightclub swiftly became known for debauchery and sexual kicks.
Peter Stringfellow – who launched the club during a recession in 1980 – lost his battle with .
The flamboyant ladies man – said to have bedded more than 2,000 women – invited a host of stars to his strip bar, which he called the ‘World’s Premier Gentleman’s Club’.
Katie Price stunned in a revealing look at Stringfellows Credit: Dan Charity
Superstar Rihanna was also one of the guests at the club Credit: Dan Charity
Jack Nicholson also attended the famous club Credit: Dan Charity
They included Ollie Reed, Rod Stewart, Simon Cowell, Chris Evans and then-wife Billie Piper and model Kelly Brook.
Hollywood A-listers Jack Nicholas and Mickey Rourke also visited – as did Kiefer Sutherland, who was famously snapped topless while being ejected from ‘Stringy’s’ in 2010.
But – who once asked Princess Diana to dance in his other club The Hippodrome – once said physicist Stephen Hawking was the most “impressive” guest he had encountered at the club.
The nightclub was sold in a multi-million pound deal in 2020, almost two years after its legendary founder’s death to businessman George Georgiou.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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