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Abu Dhabi: Tucked away in a distant industrial zone is arguably the capital's best kept entertainment secret.
A place for oil workers and their families to unwind, for 46 years, The Club has been a leisure haven for expatriates.
In its earliest incarnation,The Club looked like nothing more than a solitary concrete construction in the middle of the desert. But even back then - charmingly known as Henderson's Folly - and was the social gathering point for most of the oil workers in Abu Dhabi.
Today, it's known among taxi drivers and some residents as the British Club, but the actual name is The Club. Full of history and stories that reflect the tale of Abu Dhabi's development, The Club is the nation's oldest social gathering for expatriates. Its philosophy has stayed the same, but the rest has changed.
"It all started in 1962, when the late Shaikh Shakbut (the ruler from 1928 to 1966) gave some land to a group of British oil workers," explains The Club's manager Mike McGrath. "In that time, there were a few expats and they had direct access to the royal family. In 1967, Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan gave The Club a waterfront property."
McGrath explains how in the 1960s, The Club was the first of it kind to offer leisure activities.
The authority of witnessing the past 46 years has made The Club a sought-after leisure destination. "We have 4,005 active members and more than 1,200 membership applications," McGrath adds. Since its inception, The Club has arguably inspired and paved the way for membership-based leisure destinations in the country. Currently there are 11 main clubs throughout the capital. "I don't like to use the word unique, but what makes The Club unique is that we are a not-for-profit organisation. So you get the best value for your money here," McGrath says.
Tribute
With features like yachting, 11 food and beverage outlets, a full gym, tennis courts, library and wireless internet, The Club boasts more than 84 nationalities served by 180 staff. McGrath, a former teacher from Scotland, took over as GM in 1997.
On its 40th anniversary, The Club published a book as a tribute to its past: 40 years of The Club: Abu Dhabi, by Gateway Publishing Ltd.
The book is a collection of memoirs, stories and pictures of The Club and Abu Dhabi over the past 40 years.
Of the 30,000-plus members who have passed through over the years, The Club has seen people who have come and gone, but has also seen those who have stayed for decades.
Long-term member: At the club for 40 years
David Heard, in his own words, says that he came to Abu Dhabi for the oil. What was supposed to be a short-term assignment with the Abu Dhabi Petroleum Company turned into more than 40 years - and counting - of living in the capital. Throughout the years, Heard has been an active member of The Club. "I joined in 1966 and have been a member since. Although I've retired, I still go to The Club," Heard, 68, said.
With a clear description of what life was like back in the 1960s, Heard explains. "We use to launch on the beach and sail around. On your right-hand side there were the sail boats and on the left there were beach chairs. This wasn't a club - it was a society. At the time we couldn't go off the island because we needed a permit and even then we couldn't drive to Dubai because you risked getting stuck. So The Club was the only gathering for us," Heard says.
The purpose of Heard's visits have changed. He goes mostly for the food and the famed reputation of the chefs.
"Oh goodness. So much has changed in the past 40 years. All I can say is that it has all been for the best," Heard says.
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