Early three years ago, Travel Club directors Tom Nutley and Linda Lancaster first walked through the doors of Number 4 St. James’s Square in central London.
It was to be a defining moment and led to the birth of The Travel Club nine months later.
“I can hardly believe that its two years since we first officially opened The Travel Club”, said club managing director Tom Nutley. “We were overwhelmed by the support and goodwill we received from the industry but if I am honest, many executives waited to see how valuable the club would become for business and pleasure before becoming members.
“It was understandable that there was some cynics in the industry who thought it would fold in just a few months.
“No one had ever come up with an idea like this regardless of the fact that so many people over the years had said to me how useful this would be for conducting profitable business and making contacts.
“Up until then there had been no one place in the world, never mind London, where industry management could gather and feel at home.
“Many met at some of the key annual events such as World Travel Market but that was all.”
Membership Growing
Nutley said that he was delighted that the disbelievers have long since forgotten their initial concerns.
“The Travel Club is an established and growing phenomenon that has brought members from across the world as well as, of course, from the UK.“ he added.
Tom, former chairman of Reed Travel Exhibitions, had originally come from a hospitality background and had been ‘nursing’ the idea of a dedicated club for the industry for sometime.
“Many times colleagues would say to me that they hated the rather sanitised atmosphere in some London hotels. They wanted a home from home where they knew the staff and the staff knew them and where they felt relaxed and comfortable”.
But the problem was finding somewhere that had not only the appropriate facilities but also a central location.
“When we first talked to the In & Out Club with whom we finally made an agreement, we were struck by the friendly nature of the rooms and the sheer scale of members’ benefits.
“The building has everything you could want for a club – meeting rooms, business centre, restaurant, bars, bedrooms, gym, swimming pool and much more.
During the summer months, members seem to particularly enjoy having a drink in the courtyard. You would never guess that you are literally a couple of minutes walk from Piccadilly Circus.
Make sure you join Tom and Linda between 18.00-21.00hrs. on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday 7,8 and 9 November. It’s also an opportunity for non members to see just what they are missing!
But perhaps most important of all, the club offers members an affordable subscription that in these straightened times, will not break the bank.
“In fact for people who do not have offices in the capital, The Travel Club is a means of saving money and making maximum use of their time in London.
“The result is that every week the club sees new members coming on board.”
The Business Centre
But if you pinned Tom to the wall and asked him pointblank what he feels is the directors’ greatest achievement since launching the club, he would say that unmistakably the new Business Centre has been of particular benefit.
“The centre offers a business friendly free space where you can hold meetings, conduct business or just simply catch up on your emails.
“It’s brilliant for Travel Club members because it does not involve an additional charge other than the annual subscription”, said Nutley. “There are of course some very grand and beautiful rooms for that special occasion but for routine business meetings this is an ideal value for money solution.
“So many members have said that in the past it had cost them a fortune to hire meetings rooms in other venues in London.”
