New chapter for Paper as Noughties celebrity club reopens in Soho
A nightclub which counted Beyoncé, Scarlett Johansson and Rihanna among its A-list fans is reopening this weekend after eight years.
The return of Paper, one of the top celebrity clubs of the Noughties, is a boost for West End nightlife.
Keira Knightley celebrated her 21st birthday at the venue and guests also included Sienna Miller, Jay Z, Natalie Portman and P Diddy.
The club was located in the basement of Café Royal in Piccadilly but closed when the building was converted into a hotel in 2009.
It will reopen tomorrow at a site in Wardour Street formerly occupied by Peter Stringfellow’s Angels club, following a £1 million refurbishment. Several hundred applicants auditioned to work as hostesses at the venue. They have been designed provocative outfits by London lingerie and nightwear brand Bluebella.
The opening follows the closure of a series of venues, including Turnmills, Vibe Bar and Madame Jojo’s. Mayor Sadiq Khan has appointed a night czar, Amy Lamé, to tackle the issue. Owner Malcolm Farquharson said: “This club has taken several years of planning to put together and we feel now is the right time to bring back a famous London nightspot to Soho.
“I’ve had all of our celebrity clientele back in touch wanting to know when we are opening and we can’t wait to see them all again, but as far as we are concerned everyone who comes through our doors gets treated like a star. The return of Paper nightclub to London has been a long time coming and it’s going to be one hell of a party.”
Mr Farquharson has signed a five-year lease on the 10,000 sq ft site which includes a ground-floor cocktail bar called Dirty Harry’s, a VIP room and a selfie booth.
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