Liz Truss Accused of Poaching Members from Rival Tory Club for New Leconfield Venture
Liz Truss faces accusations of poaching members from the rival Tory club 5 Hertford Street for her new Leconfield venture, which requires founding members to contribute £500,000. Leconfield, developed by Truss in partnership with Robert Tchenguiz, involves converting Leconfield House on Curzon Street into an exclusive club, located just a short walk from 5 Hertford Street.
Leconfield is branded as a strategic hub for a global network of pro-growth leaders, offering a secure ecosystem for technology, policy, and capital. The club's website references Truss as the 56th prime minister of the United Kingdom.
In contrast, 5 Hertford Street, owned by Robin Birley, is known as a libertarian Tory hub with annual memberships costing under £2,000. The club regularly hosts numerous Conservative figures and has previously held events involving Truss during her tenure as trade secretary.
The alleged member poaching has drawn criticism for being perceived as rude, though insiders suggest that 5 Hertford Street is unlikely to suffer significant harm or displacement from Leconfield's actions. The proximity of the two clubs, about two minutes’ walking distance apart, further fuels their rivalry.
Background context includes Robert Tchenguiz's 2022 plans to convert Leconfield into a 70-bedroom luxury hotel, which were blocked. Recent plans also include developing high-end flats priced at £7,500 per square foot, with the Leconfield project positioning itself as a new beacon of sophistication.
Requests for a comment from Liz Truss were not responded to. Notable visitors to 5 Hertford Street include celebrities such as Harry Styles, Leonardo DiCaprio, Prince William, and Margot Robbie.
