Private membership clubs seem – in public perception at least – quintessentially British institutions. Such clubs have intrigued me since I was in short trousers and watched John Wayne don a tie to enter London's men-only Garrick club in the movie Brannigan, leaving his exceptionally pretty chauffeur, Judy Geeson, stranded outside.

Since then I have always assumed – rightly or wrongly and maybe borne out of some chauvinism – that this place just MUST be home to movers and shakers, that decisions of international significance are concluded over a cigar and Chivas Regal. Alternatively, in the minds of revolutionaries perhaps, such clubs are home to curmudgeonly reactionaries firing off letters to the Daily Telegraph and fulminating about how it used to be better in the old days.  

Whatever view one takes, however, I repeat, that these clubs seem as British as the proverbial old school tie. It's therefore refreshing to know that Sofia now had an exclusive members' club on Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard on the grounds of what was once a bastion of communism – the Chinese embassy – during Cold War days. The building was constructed in 1907 by order of Dimitar Yablanski who was mayor of Sofia in the final years of the 19th century. Sadly, the Yablanski family was stripped of this magnificent home when the communists came to power in 1945. The building was then given to the People's Republic of China, who used it as their residence until 1990.

After the transition, the building was returned to its previous owners but they were unable to support its upkeep. It then exchanged hands many times - becoming the property of various banks – until, in 2006, it was taken over by its present owners. The company then set about renovating the property – the result is truly spectacular – and deciding whether to rent it out to an embassy or start another enterprise.

The idea of starting a members' only club was not entered into lightly because of the lack of "club culture" in Bulgaria and because of the prospect that it would take some years for the owners to get a return on their investment.

Rules of the game
Stanislava Georgieva, the managing director of The Residence, says they want members from all spheres of life, not just business people but also singers, musicians, actors, journalists and writers.

"They should be successful people of good reputation. All ages and genders are considered; this is not just a men's club," (John Osborne would turn in his grave) Stanislava told me. "Members have diverse backgrounds – people of all ages, from all spheres of life – lawyers, bankers, actors and artists. Our prices are not sky high. It's a normal place with good food and atmosphere."

The club has almost 300 members, not bad considering it has only been open since May last year and the Bulgarian press had duly written its obituary early on.

Men pay an annual membership fee of 1200 euro. Women, who tend to earn less in Bulgaria, pay 600 euro. Superficially steep perhaps, but not, insists Stanislava, exorbitant.

"Even for Bulgarians who occupy an average managerial position it's not beyond their means," she says.

No age bar is in force, except for the obvious over 18 rule. Everyone has to respect confidentiality; members' names are not revealed, neither are the contents of discussions on the premises. Photography is also banned unless there is a private event and members agree.  

Many foreigners make up the numbers: CEOs, ambassadors and diplomats. A second-floor restaurant serves international cuisine in exquisitely decorated dining rooms equipped with the best china. A private dining room enables sequestered privacy for members if desired. Even the smoking ban, due to come into force in Bulgaria in June, has been thoughtfully circumvented, strictly according to rules, with a private room of just the right dimensions.

Stanislava says that some prospective applications have been rejected. She is anxious to point out that money and power are not the sole admission criteria.

"We have already turned down people – those with a criminal record or security people. Some of our members do have security personnel but we ask them to stay outside." Prospective members send out an application form which is then considered by the club's management board.

Confidentiality
The place is not just a talking shop but rather a place to enjoy sundry diversions. A spacious bar on the third floor – in addition to a refreshments area on the ground floor – provides lively entertainment for those so inclined. The image of brandy-quaffing elderly gentlemen does not befit the Residence. "On a Sunday people come and just want to have coffee and dessert. Sometimes we host events for members' children, for example we had a wonderful Halloween party."  

The Residence also has contracts with people like the museum of modern art who gives presentations of current exhibits. Members can also buy paintings and jewellery at such events. There are also one-off events such as when HBO chose the club to premiere their  latest TV series Luck, starring Dustin Hoffman.  

Gentle probing rather than forensic investigation seems to be the rule when evaluating applications. People give a few details, their name and occupation – and agree to the confidentiality clause. So far, says Stanislava, people have felt comfortable with the club's code of conduct and there have been few problems.

She thinks that the club will endure and become more profitable, although popularity is not the primary goal.

"We don't advertise or do PR campaigns," says Stanislava. "We don't want to be very popular. Up until now we have found that networking works and we have attracted some interesting people willing to renew their membership. When the club first opened the press were suspicious, forecasting that we would last no more than a couple of months. Now, one year later, we are getting more people."

No coercion
The Residence's facade and the interior reflect old-style grandeur and the building's embassy background. There's an imposing staircase, a dumb waiter shaft and high ceilings. In the summer, members gather in the garden and Stanislava assures me that it is quiet and serene despite the proximity of the metro station and the busy junction by Sofia University. The number of members at the club at any given time varies substantially. On some days, Stanislava says, there can be more than 200 people, sometimes only 30. Sometimes you can find just one person sitting alone on one of the comfortable sofas, working online.  

Members tend to be more affluent than your average Sofian, so "good causes" are also on the table for discussion, although Stanislava says that care is taken not to force the issue.

"We have just started working on a charity project but we have to be very careful. Some of our members have been pestered and even blackmailed by charity organisations. We try to work out a way for our members not only to give money but get them involved emotionally. We don't want to be too pushy. We don't want to overwhelm people with too many events because our members value their privacy."

No 'underground' cabinet
Although The Residence is by the Radisson and opposite Parliament, politicians are not encouraged to become members, or at least not en masse. The idea, says Stanislava, is emphatically NOT to make the place a venue for underground cabinet meetings.   

One or two members, inevitably perhaps even in such a quaint and civilised environment, proved to be undesirable and lost their membership after drinking too much and becoming aggressive.  

"We're happy to have smiling and intelligent members. We have been debating what would be the optimum number of members to let in without it becoming too crowded. If we decided to go on and keep attracting new members, we could easily find 1000 people in Bulgaria with good incomes who would be interested in joining. But we don't want to be too popular!"

The dress code is smart casual but definitely not black tie, although sports shoes are not welcome.

"A member once brought the English national football team in sports clothes (members may bring in guests) but they stayed outside in the garden," Stanislava told me.

The Residence's watchwords are privacy, trust and confidence. Although applications from controversial people are not encouraged, The Residence does appear to neutralise business rivalries.

"Two enemies in business who have engaged in a violent war of words in the papers can sit on nearby tables and it's ok for them and they refrain from commenting on the other guests," says Stanislava.

More information on The Residence can be found at http://www.theresidence-club.com/>