Interview with Gareth Banner, Head of Ned: The Brand is Still Expanding
In the heart of the City of London, the sprawling members' club, hotel, and hospitality complex known as The Ned has become a beacon of innovation in urban hospitality. With 10 restaurants, 12 bars, 250 hotel rooms, 2 swimming pools, an entire floor dedicated to private meetings and events, and "several thousand" members, The Ned has redefined the cityscape and set a new standard for hospitality businesses.
The success of The Ned has not only revitalised the City of London but also made it a more vibrant and attractive destination for hospitality businesses. By recognising the demand for a large-scale, multifaceted hospitality venue that combines hotel rooms, private members’ spaces, wellness facilities, and an art collection that reflects both the building’s heritage and contemporary culture, The Ned has transformed the area's hospitality scene.
This groundbreaking concept, which was considered a huge risk a decade ago, has now become one of the City of London's great success stories. The Ned employs 850 staff plus contractors and feeds and waters around 25,000 people a week, with its Sunday lunch boasting a six-week waiting list, an average of 650 covers, and a spend of over £100 a head.
The Ned's success has not gone unnoticed, with opportunities for international expansion on the horizon. The brand has already expanded with the opening of The Ned NoMad in Manhattan and The Ned Doha in 2022, followed by a club-only outpost in Washington DC. Furthermore, The Ned is planning to announce its first project in mainland Europe and has three serious offers to open properties elsewhere in the world.
In a move to make its membership offering more appealing, The Ned is also set to launch its first rural property in 2028 or 2029. As exclusively revealed in City AM, this new property will share some DNA with the Soho Farmhouse brand, offering a unique blend of hospitality, leisure, and wellness in a picturesque countryside setting.
The new rural property will be more of a new build project and will be located within 100 miles of London. Working with top architects, The Ned aims to create a destination that caters to the modern lifestyle, offering members a retreat from the city while still providing the same high-quality amenities and experiences that they have come to expect from The Ned brand.
Gareth Banner, a judge for City AM's Toast the City Awards, met with Soho House founder Nick Jones nine years ago to discuss a top-secret project. Banner's involvement in the project highlights the potential for The Ned to continue shaping the hospitality industry and setting new trends in urban and rural hospitality.
In conclusion, The Ned's success story serves as a testament to the power of innovation and vision in the hospitality industry. By recognising the evolving lifestyle trends in the City of London and creating a social and cultural hub that caters to diverse, cultured professionals, The Ned has not only transformed the City of London but also set the stage for global expansion and continued growth in the hospitality sector.
- The Ned, known for its extensive offerings in insurance, banking, property, lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, travel, education-and-self-development, casino-and-gambling, and entertainment, has become a hub in urban hospitality, employing over 850 staff and feeding around 25,000 people weekly.
- The Ned's influence in the hospitality industry extends beyond the City of London, with international expansion plans, including The Ned NoMad in Manhattan, The Ned Doha in 2022, a club-only outpost in Washington DC, and potential properties in mainland Europe and other international locations.
- To further expand its appeal, The Ned is planning to launch its first rural property in 2028 or 2029, combining hospitality, leisure, and wellness in a countryside setting, much like the Soho Farmhouse brand.
- This new property will be a new build project, located within 100 miles of London, targeting modern lifestyles and catering to members with high-quality amenities and experiences similar to those offered in urban settings.
- In the hospitality industry, The Ned serves as a beacon of innovation, setting trends in urban and rural hospitality, as evidenced by Soho House founder Nick Jones' collaboration with Gareth Banner on the brand's top-secret project nine years ago.
- The success of The Ned exemplifies the impact of innovation and vision in the hospitality industry, not only transforming the City of London but also setting a new standard for hospitality businesses globally.
