A gentlemen's club , or traditional gentlemen's club , is a private social club originally set up by and for British upper-class men in the 18th century, and popularised by English upper middle-class men and women in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Many countries outside the United Kingdom have prominent gentlemen's clubs, mostly those associated with the British Empire.
In particular, India , Pakistan , and Bangladesh have enthusiastically taken up the practice, and have a thriving club scene. There are also many extant clubs in major American cities. A gentleman's club typically contains a formal dining room , a bar , a library , a billiards room and one or more parlours for reading, gaming or socializing. Many clubs also contain guest rooms and fitness amenities. The original clubs were established in the West End of London. Today, the area of St James's is still sometimes called "clubland".
Clubs took over some parts of the role occupied by coffee houses in 18th-century London , and reached the height of their influence in the late 19th century.
The first clubs, such as White's , Brooks's and Boodle's , were aristocratic in flavour, and provided an environment for gambling, which was illegal outside of members-only establishments.
The 19th century brought an explosion in the popularity of clubs, particularly around the s. At their height, London had over such establishments. This expansion can be explained in part by the large extensions of the franchise in the Reform Acts of , , and Each time, hundreds of thousands more men were qualified to vote, and it was common for them to feel that they had been elevated to the status of a gentleman , thus they sought a club.
