The Hospital Club Explained

The Hospital Club, later renamed the H Club, was a members' club for people in the creative industries in London, England. It housed a television studio (h Studio), recording studio, screening room, live performance space, restaurant, lounges and gallery over seven floors.

The club was located at 24 Endell Street, Covent Garden, on the site of an 18th-century hospital. It was founded in 2004 by the Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and the musician Dave Stewart of Eurythmics.

In 2017, the Hospital Club opened a second location in the former Redbury Hotel in Hollywood, California.^[1] In 2020, both clubs closed permanently due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and other "extenuating circumstances".

History

The Hospital Club was founded in 2004 by the Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, through his investment company Vulcan Inc., and the musician Dave Stewart of Eurythmics.^[2]

For many years the building was home to St Paul's Hospital, first established in 1749.

• 1749 — British Lying-In Hospital opened at 24 Endell Street^[3]
• 1913 — British Lying-In Hospital closed^[3]
• 1923 — St Paul's Hospital moves from Red Lion Square to 24 Endell Street^[4]
• 1992 — St Paul's Hospital closed^[4]
• 1996 — Building purchased by Paul Allen, planning submitted. Local objections to development mean the project stalls for a number of years while a compromise with residents is worked out^[2]
• 2004 — Private members' club, restaurant and recording studio open^[5]
• 2017 — the Hospital Club opens a second location in the former Redbury Hotel in Hollywood, California.
• 2020 — The club closed permanently due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and other "extenuating circumstances".^[6]
• 2021 — The contents of the London club were sold at auction on 15 September.^[7]

Food hygiene ratings

In 2014, the club received a zero rating for food hygiene after an inspection found mice feces in kitchens, prompting worries of cross-contamination.^[8] In 2015, the Hospital Club received a five-star rating by the Foods Standard Agency.^[9]

Television studio (h Studio)

The venue's 2700square feet^[10] television studio is located two floors below ground level, and when it opened in 2003 was the first high-definition television studio in the UK. A grid height of 4.4m (14.4feet) and a size of 61 feet x 44 feet, roughly equivalent to that of Television Centre's TC2, means it was well used for programme production.^[11]

The studio can accommodate an audience of approximately 250 people sitting or standing.^[12] The sound production room was upgraded in conjunction with Solid State Logic.^[13] In summer 2023 it was announced that the studio would be re-opening ^[14] after an extensive refit. Celebro Studios have taken over the running of the studio site and are to install a second smaller podcasting and streaming studio on the site.^[15]

In media

The Hospital Club was used by the rock band Radiohead to record parts of their 2007 album In Rainbows and the 2008 live video In Rainbows – From the Basement.^{[16] [17]}

External links

• Studio Website - Celebro @hclub https://celebrostudios.co.uk/studios/tv-studio-london/tv-studio-hire

Notes and References

1. Web site: Beebe. Lisa. 2017-07-12. Here’s a First Look at h.Club LA, the Private Social Club Coming to Hollywood and Vine Los Angeles Magazine. 2021-09-20. Los Angeles Magazine. en-US.
2. News: Naylor . Tony . 2015-02-28 . The Hospital Club, Covent Garden, London: hotel review . en-GB . . 2017-01-26 . 0261-3077.
3. Web site: British Lying-In Hospital. Lost Hospitals of London. 13 July 2018.
4. Web site: St Paul's Hospital, Endell Street. Lost Hospitals of London. 12 July 2018.
5. Web site: Meet Sue Walter at The Hospital Club. 26 September 2012. 13 July 2018.
6. Web site: h Club London to close permanently. 2021-09-20. The Stage. En.
7. Web site: h Wyles Hardy Auction. En.
8. "Celebrity club gets zero ratings from hygiene inspectors". The Times, 16 September 2014, p. 22.
9. http://ratings.food.gov.uk/business/en-GB/424446/The-Hospital-Group-London The Hospital Group.
10. Web site: TV & Music Studios . thehospitalclub . 20 January 2019.
11. Web site: The Hospital Club Studio . tv studio history . 20 January 2019.
12. Web site: The Studio @ The Hospital Club . Hire Space . 20 January 2019 . en-gb.
13. Web site: The Hospital Club Moves to SSL System T . Solid State Logic . 20 January 2019.
14. Web site: The Hospital Club to reopen . tv studio history . 22 August 2023.
15. Web site: Celebro Studios take over lease at Hclub . Celebro Studios . 22 August 2023.
16. News: Paytress . Mark . 1 January 2008 . Chasing Rainbows . Mojo.
17. Web site: 2020-06-04. Radiohead to Stream 2008 Live 'In Rainbows' Film. 2021-09-20. SPIN.