The County Club, a Place at the Heart of Guildford
In a recent issue of Move To, we took a closer look at The County Club in the company of Jane Derbyshire, Club Chairman since 2021; and it has been obvious from the reaction of our readers that the article certainly generated a great deal of interest.
Jane told us a little about the storied history of The Club, from its formation in 1882, through to the recent refurbishment programme, an investment in furnishings and facilities costing in the region of £200,000.
This month, we have asked Jane to go into a little more detail about the operation of the private members club on Guildford High Street, and how it has remained such an integral part of life in Surrey for so many years.
So, Jane, what goes on behind those impressive double doors?
The Club is owned by its members, and we are very much led by their wishes. Primarily, we are a place for our members to meet and take advantage of our first-class hospitality and comfortable surroundings, whether it is for a quiet coffee on the terrace, a quick lunch in the bar, or something more substantial.
Our Doric Restaurant serves lunch and dinner, as well as an exceptional Saturday brunch, which is hugely popular with our members and their guests. The Club is closed on Sunday and Monday, but we are seriously considering extending our hours of operation, thanks entirely to an increased demand from our members.
Club events are also extremely popular, with a packed programme to choose from.
We have three meeting rooms, which can be hired commercially, we do offer reduced rates for our members, but we welcome external enquiries and regularly host meetings of up to fifty people, as well as private lunches, and presentations.
You mentioned Club events Jane, what sort of occasions are these?
We have an exceptionally active events committee, they meet regularly, and help to put together a schedule that they hope will be appreciated by the majority of our members, and they get it just right.
There are one or two diary dates that are set in stone, celebratory dinners to mark anniversaries, or significant local and national events, and we have been proud to host the Mayor of Guildford’s Dinner every year for as long as anyone can remember. St. George’s Day is always celebrated, and I am delighted to say that we are reintroducing our traditional Burns Supper in 2025, Guildford is home to a thriving Scottish community, and we are thrilled to be hosting this event next January.
What other events do your members enjoy?
Local historian David Rose has become a very popular speaker with our members, and in the next few months we will be welcoming members, and their guests to dinner events featuring world famous composer Simon May, Tim Oliver, Leader of Surrey County Council, and Anne Milton, former MP for Guildford, and Minister of State.
We also function as venue for private events, such as a recent dinner with Michael Buerk, the legendary broadcaster, which was organised by the Prostate Project, the evening was an enormous success, raising funds for the Royal Surrey Hospital based charity.
A group of members will be attending a performance of Pride and Prejudice, at Holy Trinity Church, part of the 18th ‘birthday’ celebrations of Guildford Shakespeare Company, and we host monthly cinema screenings, regular bridge afternoons, and actively support local events such as the Peper Harow Point to Point, Classic car runs, and the ever popular, wine and gin tastings!
So, you can see, it is very much a mixed programme.
Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers?
I must mention our newly appointed General Manager, Julian Bounds.
Julian joined us in September, taking over from Kevin, our previous General Manager who had been with us for more than twenty-years, and it is testimony to the professionalism of both Julian and Kevin that the transition was completely seamless.
With his background in top class hospitality, not to mention a stint in the Royal Household, Julian has quickly slipped into the role, becoming a hugely valuable and respected member of The County Club management team.
And finally, Jane, how do people apply for membership of The County Club?
We have a range of different membership types, and our fee structure is based on these, all prospective members must be proposed by an existing member, and each application is assessed on its merits.
Our website has details of applying for membership, information about meeting rooms and lots more about the history of The County Club.
Here’s a link to our previous article on the County Club “Surrey’s Best Kept Secret”
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