Garrick Club Moves to End 193-Year Men-Only Membership Policy

In a historic decision, the Garrick Club's committee has voted to allow women to join, pending a full member vote.

The Garrick Club, after 193 years of exclusion, is on the brink of allowing women members following a committee vote to accept new legal advice.
An extraordinary general meeting will be called for the club’s 1,500 members to vote on the change, requiring a two-thirds majority for approval.
Seven prominent women, including Dame Mary Beard and Amber Rudd, have been nominated as prospective members in anticipation of the rule change.
The legal opinion accepted by the committee argues that the club’s rules already permit women to join, as 'he' is interchangeable with 'she' in the law.
The move has sparked a mix of enthusiasm and caution, with insiders warning of a potential uphill struggle due to the two-thirds voting requirement and a lengthy membership process.