[SINGAPORE] New members-only club Vanta will open in MacDonald House in December, after a S$30 million renovation. The club, which will span 16,000 square feet across two levels in the national monument, is initially targeting 1,000 members, with plans to gradually expand to 2,000.
Touting itself as “Singapore’s most influential private members club, designed for the city’s most discerning elites, visionary industry leaders and global influencers”, its facilities will include a main salon, mezzanine, private dining rooms and a state-of-the-art golf simulator.
Michelin-starred Canadian chef and TV personality, Alvin Leung (also known as “Demon Chef”) of Hong Kong’s Bo Innovation, will curate the club’s culinary programme. Meanwhile, a whisky, wine and sake programme featuring tastings of spirits, masterclasses with distillers and sommeliers and an immersive exploration of sakes is set to be a cornerstone of the club’s identity.
In addition, Vanta will hold art exhibitions, talks and cultural salons.
The club’s facilities will include a main salon, mezzanine, private dining rooms and a state-of-the-art golf simulator. ILLUSTRATION: VANTA
The club’s chief executive officer, Wayne Lin, is a Chinese national with two decades of experience in the food and beverage (F&B), luxury hospitality and entertainment sectors in Chinese cities like Shenzhen and Guangdong, said Joanna Seet, Vanta’s chief marketing officer.
“We’ve designed this club for individuals who are actively shaping conversations and leading change across industries,” said Lin. “It will be a place where connoisseurs, especially those with a passion for whisky, wine and sake, can connect, collaborate and define what’s next for business and culture.”
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Vanta’s chief operating officer is Singaporean Andrew Carver, who launched nightclubs including Throne in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, and Dom in Marina Bay Sands and Johor Bahru.
“While his roots are in nightlife, Andrew now contributes his operational expertise to helping elevate every aspect of the Vanta club experience,” Seet told The Business Times in response to queries. “Vanta is positioned first and foremost as a luxury private social club, distinctly different from a nightlife concept.”
Seet said the club will be centred on people and meaningful programming in a “refined environment” for professional networking, cultural engagement and world-class dining.
Vanta’s partnership and business development director is Alex Chew, co-founder of members-only club, Madison Rooms, which opened at Coleman Street in 2016 but went into liquidation in 2019. Chew, whom Seet says has been instrumental in shaping Vanta’s F&B programme, is also the former owner of one-Michelin-starred The Kitchen at Bacchanalia.
The club has a joining fee of S$6,000, which will be waived during pre-opening, plus an annual fee of S$6,800. There are no monthly fees.
Seet said Vanta’s community will be “carefully curated” to ensure a balanced mix of “influential leaders” across all industries.
Vanta’s entry into the local members-only club scene comes on the heels of the collapse last month of another club, 1880. Since then, both Mandala Club and 67 Pall Mall have announced expansion plans, while the landlord and staff of the former 1880 will reopen it under a new name next month.
Operators say private clubs are profitable businesses, with the debt-laden 1880’s failure attributed to its aggressive expansion to Hong Kong and Bali.
