Annabel's, or as Nicky Haslam likes to call it," 'Bel's", is the most famous nightclub in the world. It doesn't matter that it's located in a basement in Mayfair because anyone that's descended the stairs into 44 Berkeley Square knows this isn't any normal nightclub.
It was the first of its kind in London. Members included Frank Sinatra and it still remains the only nightclub the Queen has visited - where she drank a gin martini with no lemon.
Mark Birley, who also owned the first ever Hermès store in London (and left over 150 of his silk Hermès ties to his clubs when he died), decided to open a nightclub in 1963. He called it Annabel's after his then-wife, Annabel Goldsmith. 50 years later, acclaimed director Ridley Scott decided to make a documentary about it.
Annabel's: A String Of Naked Lighbulbs sees Birley's friends and colleagues reminisce, for just under 60 minutes, over the history of the club. Hearing them tell of Birley's attention to detail and passion about the club makes you realise the importance of Annabel's in the history of London's nightlife. Birley orchestrated the best of the best when it came to staffing the place. He went around London recruiting the best hosts, maître d's, doorman and cloakroom attendants.
Birley was not a fan of the high-end, French cuisine that was feeding the well-heeled in London at the time. He liked comfort food that he'd eaten on his travels, but served in glamorous surroundings. But just because he wanted to serve shepherd's pie or a plate of simple pasta, it still had to be the best. He even got Elizabeth David to come in and 'consult' on the menu. And if you ever wondered who introduced the lemon wedge wrapped in muslin to London, look no further than Birley.
The interior of the club was designed by Nina Campbell.
But the lighting was the most important element for Birley - it had to make people look sexy but still be practical. The dim picture lights and the brass and mirrors reflecting the light around the club is the reason Goldie Hawn and Naomi Campbell feel so comfortable in its environs.
And there's the dance floor. Sunken two steps below the rest of the room - it is sort of hidden. As Gavin Rankin of Bellamy's says, "dancing is a bit like sex, you don't want people watching you do it."
Annabel's was also one of the first mainstream venues to have a twin-deck music system with a DJ. Acts such as Tina Turner, Bryan Ferry and Lady Gaga have all performed in the club.
It may have changed since Richard Caring has taken over but it had to move forward. But it has managed to do so in a way that still keeps the best elements of the club preserved. There is nowhere else like Annabel's. That's why it's the most famous nightclub in the world.
