Cheltenham's new private members club, the Good Times House, has been the subject of speculation and intrigue for several years, as painstaking renovation work and significant investment has been poured into the Regency townhouse on Imperial Square.
With membership opportunities opening in the summer of 2024, SoGlos was invited to take an exclusive first look around the plush private members club and sample some of the fine dining dishes it will be serving members.
The attention to the interior design detail is impressive and members will discover sumptuous fabrics, animal prints, low lighting and an opulent feel, with touches of Art Deco in places. Even the staircase is spectacular, boasting a huge custom-made glass chandelier imported from Italy.
But, while the decor is certainly Instagram-worthy, taking photographs and videos inside is prohibited to protect members' privacy.
There's a cocktail bar on the ground floor of the Good Times House, which serves a selection of spirits, artist-inspired cocktails, 'classics with a twist' and hot drinks — the Apricot Penicillin was a hit with team SoGlos — but drinks can be served wherever guests choose, as there's a fully stocked bar on every floor.
On the first floor of the Good Times House, The Salon offers a bright and airy space for dining, with the venue offering a menu of tapas-inspired small plates.
The menu includes truffle manchego with chestnut honey; spider crab and saffron or chorizo croquettas; fried artichokes with lemon; Iberico Bellota cured meats; crispy potato terrine with mustard mayonnaise; Cornish squid with chimichurri; and bluefin tuna belly tostadas, with prices ranging from £6 for grilled sourdough and olive oil up to £30 for acorn-fed Iberia presa steak.
There are also a variety of private dining spaces which members can book for a five-course tasting menu at £150 per person, with an additional £90 each for drinks.
On the second floor of the Good Times House there's a cosy lounge space with low lighting and comfy seats. Even the bathrooms are showstopping, with the ladies' powder room boasting a huge copper roll-top bath as a planter.
Then downstairs in the basement is Rico's, which functions as a lounge, cocktail bar, cinema room and event space.
The Good Times House describes itself as an 'art-filled oasis' and there is artwork adorning nearly every wall, from moody self portraits from its current muse, photographer Andrea Torres Balaguer, to colourful abstracts. The collection is eclectic but most certainly contemporary — and there are plans to periodically 'replenish' the collection to keep things fresh.
Memberships cost £888 per year for 'artist founders' working in the creative industry; £1,088 for 'young founders' aged under 35; and £1,888 for 'founders', with options for joint members and out-of-town guests, too — and all applicants are subject to an interview with the memberships manager before being accepted.
The first 200 founder members will also receive a share in the Good Times House's contemporary art collection, curated by founder Ricardo Fearon, with exhibitions and auction nights also planned.
