The Melbourne Savage Club, a private men-only establishment, has prematurely ended a trial that allowed women to dine in its main dining room two days a week. Members were informed on Tuesday that the 'Female Dining Initiative' had been halted less than three months into its planned six-month run.
Under the trial, which began in July, female guests were permitted to have pre-lunch drinks in the Social Room and lunch in the Dining Room on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Previously, women were only allowed as guests at certain functions or after 4.30pm on weekdays.
A survey last year revealed that only four members—2% of the club—supported admitting women as full members. However, many favoured increasing female friendliness, including breaking a 130-year tradition by allowing women to dine. A rebel faction opposed to the trial warned of 'uneasy wives' and 'Karens', calling an extraordinary general meeting. An email from the faction argued that the club's boisterous atmosphere would be tempered and that wives would no longer view long hours at the club favourably.
Members voted in a non-binding plebiscite on three options: a full return to male-only dining in the main room, continuation of the trial as is, or reducing female access to one designated 'ladies day' per week. The club's leadership has stated that future options for mixed dining will be 'considered carefully' and shared with members for input.
Founded in 1894, the Savage Club describes itself as a gathering of individuals passionate about music, art, drama, literature and science, unified by a bohemian spirit. The venue features open fires, leather lounges, Heidelberg school paintings and Polynesian artefacts, with a strict no-mobile-phone policy and a requirement for jackets and ties.
