Business Traveller

Potential is ripe for business travellers now that London’s Met Bar has ended 15 years of members-only exclusivity

In its halcyon days in the late-90s, early noughties, so desperate were people to get into Met Bar at London’s chic Metropolitan Hotel on Park Lane, non-members would book a room to be eligible to visit the venue.

Having just come out of the other side of a two-month revamp, Met Bar have now doubled the seating to 100-plus people (Nobody stands up any more, says its general manager Tadgh Ryan), discarded the membership system and introduced an idiosyncratically British menu.

They also employ some of London’s best mixologists; over a Jockey (Creme de Figue, port, Blanton’s bourbon, sugar, egg white), I asked Met Bar’s boss why they have ditched their free but ‘name on the list’ membership system, which famously focused on fashionistas, media execs and ‘money’?

He answers frankly: The bar had to reinvent itself now that the young and hip crowd have gravitated towards London’s East End; in a serious recession, people might think twice about renewing their memberships at swish, nouveau-clubby private clubs like Soho House or Home House* that cost thousands of pounds for a membership they use a dozen times a year.

“Ostentation now is a little bit brash,” says Ryan. “Our guests have always said they see us as having the feel of an expensive member’s club; [… patrons] with the right attitude can come down and see what people have been talking about for years.”

The Met Bat’s relaunch coincides with a larger rejuvenation of Park Lane as a dining destination: the new Wolfgang Puck’s Cut at 45 Park Lane at The Dorchester; the Four Seasons Hotel’s reopening; Michelin-starred restaurants all over the place. People love it here, thinks Ryan, because it’s safe, taxis are easy to come by and there’s a level of sophistication which people crave.

As British as they come
In its new guise, Met Bar customers are unlikely to meet 90s Britpoppers (Liam Gallagher of Oasis was famously thrown out of the bar in 2002) but will be able to sample some seriously idiosyncratically British fare.

A lunch offering from midday includes treacle-cured salmon with chilli and apple jam; potted shrimps, fennel and orange baby loaf and Cornish crab cakes. Come evening, tapas-style small plates reveal free-range scotch eggs with caramelised onion, Welsh lamb bites with pea puree and cheese and onion pie. After dinner, how about port and a big chunk of stilton?

Drinks are also pleasingly English Country: ‘The Park Lane Cocktail’ is made with English elderberry puree, the fruit foraged from Richmond Park, south of the city, and a fellow drinker was wolfing down a bright red concoction which turned out to comprise beetroot, vodka, cinnamon syrup, lemon juice and ginger beer. Soon most punters in the bar were demanding it. Ryan is very proud of Met’s sustainable, “locavore” ingredients. And the ‘taste of Britain’ ethos extends to the staff.

He compares a double G&T (basic brand, ice and a slice, gun tonic) at the pub down the road – which he has worked out costs just £1.50 less than it does here – where they serve 50 ml measures as standard of Beefeater 24 (a premium label), and a bottle of tonic.

Single’s night no more
It is important when visiting a bar in a strange city to be able to find out about the locality, or even talk about current affairs or popular culture. Ryan’s all over this: “Our guys are home-grown British boys who know their stuff. It’s not just about preparing a drink… they’re psychologists, people bleed their hearts out, they’re fixer-uppers. They’re great to chat to.”

Though the Hedgies who come for a drink from up the road in Mayfair may not need cultural guidance, many hotel guests from the area rock up here and many do so on their own. Tadgh Ryan lights up when I mention lonely business travellers: “We regularly introduce them to other single people at the bar, they make friends.”

We agree that though American businessmen are very comfortable drinking on their own, in Europe we feel we need to be playing with our BlackBerrys.

“Our guys recognise that straight away,” Ryan says.” As soon as somebody sits down, they’re on them, having a chat. They’ll stand back if someone wants space, but that’s why we get so much repeat business from the corporate element, especially people travelling on their own.”

What about single female travellers?

“We recognise that ladies on their own feel vulnerable”, says Ryan; “if there are lecherous guys around, there’ll hit on her, which we completely stand all over. We don’t encourage boozy large groups of guys. Sometimes we introduce them to single males and [the Metropolitan Hotel] loses a room – invariably the next day they say we only need one!”

Regulars get particularly looked after: the barmen know their drink, their friend’s drink, they make dinner arrangements, arrange a driver – it’s like a concierge service. Ryan tells me he has some influence at Mayfair restaurants; sometimes they can make reservations for guests when the guests themselves wouldn’t be able to get them.

This is refreshing. Member’s clubs are great for residents of a city who want a homely escape from city bustle, but occasional visitors to London might find them prohibitively expensive.

*If you want more than a place to eat, drink and be merry, private member’s club Home House happily accepts non-residents. Famous for its late-night parties that rage through its drawing rooms, eating rooms and rabbit-warren corridors, No. 21 (now spread to 19 & 21 too) Portman Square was commissioned by Elizabeth, Countess of Home in 1773 and designed, aptly, purely for enjoyment and entertainment.

There is a small gym and the 18^th-meets-21^st century house is currently putting the finishing touches to its Vaults, a plush, compact underground area of karaoke rooms and bars. There are regular networking nights and societies at the 3,000-member club include fencing, backgammon and wine appreciation. Both members and referred non-members can overnight in a number of extremely plush suites at five-star-plus rates.

(Caption on blog landing page: The new Park Lane cocktail – part of the new look at Met Bar, Metropolitan London)