Events Seating Policy


Club Restaurant Nights

We endeavour to indicate evenings where seating is on a “(P) = Private Table” basis in our program and marketing materials.   


Seating Etiquette for Speaker’s Dinners and Lunches, Club Dinners and Global Cuisine Tasting Evenings

For these dining occasions the club adopts a club dinner seating system similar to Oxbridge formal halls and many London clubs, to accommodate both personal choices and to allow the option to meet interesting new people.

We encourage a relaxed approach: the dining rooms in the majority operate as a first-come-first-served venue for these events. This allows new members, those with environmental sensitivities and solo guests to choose seating somewhere and with people (who may be strangers) that they are comfortable with. 

We ask that you do not ask guests already seated to move to accommodate late-coming larger groups, respect their choices and split your group as needed.

If you have preferences on seating we would strongly encourage you to arrive promptly enough to accommodate your group or alternatively reserve seating. 

For groups or three or more reserved seating may be requested, providing the request is made more than 36 hours in advance to club reception. One lead guest for the party should email reception stating how many seats are required, these will be reserved in the lead guest’s name in advance by cards upon the table.  Please refrain from moving placement cards.

If a genuine seating problem does arise, we would ask that you always speak to the dining room manager in the first instance to facilitate a resolution. We will ensure couples and groups of two will be accommodated without the need to book.

We thank you for your cooperation and understanding.


Formal Dinners

For a small number of special occasions such as the Club’s Foundation Dinner, a full, formal dinner seating plan will be produced. Please make any preferences known well in advance (min. 72 hrs) to club reception, who will accommodate reasonable requests where possible.