Called to a different bar

Nathalie Birstow, 29, swapped her barrister's wig and gown for the life of a director and hostess at London's new Adam Street Club.

My job as a barrister had become a bit too predictable. Doing this is so much more fun and no two days are the same. I'm usually at the club until 1am, so I'll get up mid-morning and arrive at Adam Street for 11am. I live in Kensington and take the number 9 bus straight here. For breakfast, I'll usually have something like coffee or a pastry in the club's bar.

The place starts to get busy by 11.30am but some people come in earlier. Many of the members are journalists and use the bar to interview people and then go upstairs to our library where there are computers and free Internet access.

My fellow director, Amy, an artist, and myself came up with the idea for this club because we felt there was nowhere in London for freelance professionals to both work and meet. As a barrister, I felt this keenly. One is self-employed but with no support staff or sense of belonging to any group. So we started organising Christmas parties for people like us and the idea grew from there.

With the support of our other director, James Minter, we refurbished what used to be the Green Room for £1m and opened in October 2001. It has been very successful after only a few months.

We've grown substantially from our 250 founding members. The people who join are mostly from the media, arts and legal worlds, and the typical age span is between 25 and 45.

We try to provide the comfort and familiarity of an old-style gentleman's club but with a minimum of rules and no stuffiness.

After checking millions of e-mails in my office, I'll normally be on hand through our lunch period. It's a chance to greet all the members and chat to people, which I love. This is what it's all about.

I might eat something at about 2.30pm. My favourite is salmon fishcakes with cucumber and sorrel butter sauce.

Through the day, I might be in the office dealing with marketing or enquiries about membership or using my legal background to sort out details affecting licensing. I also come up with ideas for guest speakers and organise events such as our big Christmas party or Burns Night or the Wine of the Month talk. There's always something.

Six o'clock is my cocktail hour and I always try one new cocktail every day before having dinner in the bar some time after 8pm. It might be something like chicken Caesar salad or lobster spaghetti. The evening time is very relaxed here and another opportunity to get to know all the members.

The club closes at 1am and I'll leave some time after that by taxi.

Adam Street Club

9 Adam Street, Strand, London WC2N 6AA
Tel: 020 7379 8000
Web site: www.adamstreet.co.uk

Opened: 22 October 2001
Founders and directors: Nathalie Bristow, Amy Gadney, James Minter
Operations director: Nick Tarayan, former Leith's managing director
Head chef: Alastair Ross, formerly at Leith's
Restaurant: 60 seats
Ownership: The family of James Minter owns the freehold to the entire building.
Membership rates: £450 for those living in London; £350 for those outside London; £250 for those based abroad
Projected turnover in year one: £1.5m

Just a minute…

What message do you have for Tony Blair?

Why not come and have dinner here with Cherie? You're just around the corner.

Who would be your ideal dinner partners?

From the past, Queen Elizabeth I and from the present, Britney Spears. It would be hilarious to see if she was as talented as she makes out.

What is your favourite restaurant?

Cibo, a small, family-run Italian bistro near my home in Kensington.

What do you do to relax?

I only have Sundays off and I sleep.

What has been the most embarrassing moment at the Adam Street Club?

At the Christmas party, someone sat on the photocopier to reproduce a body part but instead broke the glass.