Great shakes! A nightclub in old Masonic lodge

You don’t need a secret handshake to enter, but London’s newest nightclub — in a former Masonic lodge — still prides itself on its exclusivity.

Mason House, which launched last night, is the latest venue from the entrepreneurs behind Chinawhite, Aura and Movida, and is in the vaults underneath the London Palladium in Argyll Street.

Entry to the 5,000 sq ft multi-room club — previously Movida — is through a crypt. As well as the main room, there is Room 33, which has a secret door and operates on an invitation-only basis.

Owners Marc Merran, Eamonn Mulholland and Jean Philippe Kley said some of the club’s features date back to 1737, when many of the residents in Argyll Street were Masons.

Movida, which Mr Merran co-founded with Fred Moss, closed this year. When they started the revamp, the owners discovered the original arches and restored them to how they think they would have looked.

“Mason House came about by looking at what we had before in Movida and creating something which was a bit more selective and grown-up,” said Mr Mulholland.

“We researched the history of the building when it was Argyll House and found that the people who lived here were Masons, so we kept the original arches and exposed walls to retain the underground crypt vibe. Finding out about the Masonic history of the building was a happy coincidence.”

Entry can be via guestlist or membership, but Mr Mulholland said “the quickest and safest way to get in is to book a table, and with our two-bottle minimum it’s probably around £600 minimum spend”.

He added: “But obviously depending on where you sit, and if you want to be near the DJ booth, that will go up.”

Mason House has DJs playing a mix of genres on a Funktion 1 sound system and will also showcase works from up-and-coming artists. It is open Thursday-Saturday from 9pm until 7am.