London's exclusive member's club the Hospital to expand to Europe

London's exclusive members' club the Hospital is to expand into Europe with the opening of an additional venue in either Berlin or Barcelona next year.

The Covent Garden-based club, which was bought by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 1996 and boasts musicians, actors and film moguls among its members.

Will Turner, chief executive of the Hospital, told the Times newspaper earlier this week that further sites in New York and Shanghai could follow the European venues.

He said the club's turnover in 2006 was up to £6.6m from £4.1m in 2005 and he projected a further rise of 20% to 25% this year.

The Hospital, which is set on the site of a former maternity hospital, cost a reported £60m to open and doubles as a multi-media recording studio and exhibition venue.

It also includes the Origin Bar & Dining Room, previously run by chef Adam Byatt. Byatt, who recently opened Trinity Restaurant in Clapham, remains a shareholder and director of Origin.

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By Kerstin Kühn

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