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[SINGAPORE] Following the abrupt closure of Singapore private members’ club 1880 this week, The Business Times (BT) understands that its staff have banded together in an attempt to revive the business.

A source told BT that they have made an offer to buy the club’s assets, with support and backing from its landlord, RB Corp – a member of Singapore-based and privately-held property investment and development firm RB Capital Group.

The group’s flagship development at Robertson Quay includes the InterContinental Singapore Robertson Quay hotel where 1880 is located on the third level. The 22,000 square foot club has a restaurant, bar, spa and co-working space.

Speaking to BT on condition of anonymity, a staff member confirmed that the 60-plus strong team that ran 1880 have come together to ask RB Corp for help after they were suddenly left jobless. “We are 100 per cent ready to move forward together, with the same purpose and ethos that made the club possible,” said the employee. “Most of us have been working there for a long time, with a handful right from when the club started.”

The move came after staff were told by liquidators that they can expect to wait some six to 12 months before wages owed can be paid. “Many people’s livelihoods are on the line,” added the employee. “Some are foreigners who have signed leases here. They are struggling and have taken personal loans.”

The club was founded in 2017 by Canadian entrepreneur Marc Nicholson and has since established itself as a hub for discussions on topics ranging from global conflicts to social justice.

On Tuesday (Jun 17), Nicholson announced to members and staff via e-mail and WhatsApp messages that the club was closing permanently, and that both its holding company 38 Degrees and operating company 1880 Pte Ltd have been placed into provisional liquidation.

BT understands that 1880’s local business here was profitable, but that it got into debt after aggressively expanding to Hong Kong and Bali. Its abrupt closure here follows that of its Hong Kong branch on May 30, just seven months after opening in the territory. The club was also building a six-storey beachside hotel in Bali that never opened.

A source told BT that the staff’s bid to revive 1880 will exclude any involvement from its three co-founders – Nicholson, his wife and club CEO Jean Low, and chairman Luke Jones. A check showed that the trio together own just under 80 per cent of 38 Degrees. The minority shareholders comprise many individuals and entities, including the landlord with a 5 to 6 per cent stake.

BT understands that RB Corp is owed rent and has terminated the club’s lease. When contacted, a representative from the company told BT: “As 1880’s landlord, we sympathise with the employees who have lost their jobs and the members who made 1880 their second home.”

Meanwhile, the staff member said that 1880 was not just any club. “The culture at 1880 is completely different. We’ve had events and conversations here that you can’t get anywhere else in Singapore.”

This was echoed by one of 1880’s 2,000-plus members, lawyer Lada Shelkovnikova, who has been an active member since she joined in 2019. “It was more like a home than an F&B (food and beverage) establishment,” she said. “I’ve done an event there myself and had all my client meetings there. Its closure is devastating, and we all feel extremely sorry for the employees because the team is absolutely stellar.”

She also had high praise for 1880’s programming, which she said was only possible thanks to the staff. “We’ve had CEOs, wellness gurus, bestselling authors and C-suites who have come to speak at the club and exchange ideas. No one else can replicate this.”