Eve (nightclub)
| Formation | 1953 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Jimmy O'Brien, Helen O'Brien |
| Dissolved | 1991 |
| Type | Nightclub |
| Location |
|
| Coordinates | 51°30′43″N 0°08′25″W / 51.5120°N 0.1403°W |
Eve was a private members' nightclub at 189 Regent Street, central London, UK. Founded in 1953, it had the world's first-ever illuminated glass floor and the "most daring show" in London's West End, including topless girls and strippers.
Members included kings, ambassadors, sultans and a bishop. It was popular with diplomats and senior civil servants, and was a hotbed of intrigue. The Romanian-born co-owner and hostess worked as a spy for Britain's MI5.
Origin[edit]
Jimmy O'Brien had been a cloakroom attendant and later the manager of Murray's Cabaret Club in nearby Beak Street, where he met his future wife, the Romanian-born Elena Constantinescu (later Helen O'Brien), who worked there as a cigarette girl and dancer.[1] Together, they opened Eve on St Valentine's Day in 1953.[1] Although the address was 189 Regent Street, it was in the basement, with the entrance down an alleyway in New Burlington Place.[2]
Membership[edit]
As a members only club charging a guinea a year, it did not have to comply with the usual licensing laws and served alcohol until 3 am.[1] Members included kings, ambassadors, sultans and a bishop.[1] Customers included Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Shirley Bassey, and Errol Flynn.[1] In 1954 Helen hosted John Profumo's stag night at the club.[1][2] It was popular with diplomats and senior civil servants, and was a hotbed of intrigue.[1]
Staff[edit]
As the hostess of Eve, Helen introduced topless girls and strippers to the club's entertainment, performing on the world's "first-ever illuminated glass floor" in what the press dubbed the "most daring show" in London's West End.[2][3] She also worked as a spy for Britain's MI5 and MI6.[2]
Reputation[edit]
The club was known for "its unique appeal of glamour, intrigue, sex, sophistication, daring floorshows and mystery".[2]
Closure[edit]
Eve closed in 1991, and the O'Briens spent their retirement at a villa in the south of France.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h Horwell, Veronica (29 September 2005). "Obituary Helen O'Brien". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Hollingsworth, Mark (2023). "6. All about Eve". Agents of influence: how the KGB subverted western democracies. London: Oneworld. pp. 147–174. ISBN 9780861545339. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ^ "Helen O'Brien". The Daily Telegraph. 20 September 2005. Archived from the original on 29 October 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.