Gentlemen's club

A gentlemen's club is a private social club. These clubs were started in England in the 18th century. They were originally reserved to the British upper class. At the start, they were only for men, women were not allowed. They were all originally gambling clubs. The first clubs (such as White's, Brooks's and Boodle's) had members from the aristocracys. A main activity was gambling, especially gambling at cards. which was illegal outside of members-only establishments. However, there were clubs with other activities.

Countries outside Britain also have such clubs. In many cases, they were associated with the British Empire: There are important ones in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. They can also be found in many of the bigger American cities.

Gentlemen's clubs were made so that their members could spend time there, instead of being at home. Such a club typically contains a formal dining room, a bar, a library, a billiards room and one or more rooms for reading, gaming or socializing. Many clubs also have guest rooms and fitness amenities. Some are associated mainly with sports and regularly hold other events such as formal dining.

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Further reading