Thomann-Hanry Gives A Facelift To Top Gentleman's Club

Founded by the aristocracy nearly 250 years ago, Brooks’s in St. James’s is one of London’s most famous gentleman’s clubs. It is still frequented by many of London’s wealthiest and most influential gentlemen today.

Despite its location in the heart of London and its high-brow clientele the brick and stone façade on this Listed Building had never been cleaned, until now. Using the unique ‘façade gommage’ system, London-based masonry cleaning specialist Thomann-Hanry, cleaned the 700m2 brick and stone façade in just three days, and all without the use of scaffold.

Brooks’s was founded in 1764 by 27 members of the aristocracy, including four dukes. With high-ranking politicians and HRH The Prince Regent among its members, the Club became known as one on London’s most distinguished gentleman’s clubs. The building was designed by Henry Holland, one of the most prominent architects of his day, whose work includes Althorp House, Theatre Royal Drury Lane and The Royal Pavilion in Brighton.

As a Grade 1 Listed Building, within the St. James’s Conservation Area, English Heritage, test panels had to be approved by English Heritage, City of Westminster’s Planning and Conservation department and the commercial property consultant Drivers Jonas Deloitte before the work could begin.

Although the façade, which consists of the notoriously soft yellow London stock bricks, with Portland stone architectural dressings, had never previously been cleaned, it didn’t present any problems for Thomann-Hanry’s sensitive ‘façade gommage’ masonry cleaning system. Nearly 250 years of West End grime and pollution was cleaned off in just three days, bringing the 700m2 of Georgian brick and stonework back up to its original splendour.

No scaffold was used during the cleaning process which meant disturbance to the access of the Club, and the busy streets and pavements surrounding it were kept to an absolute minimum.