LONDON (Reuters) - London's Garrick Club voted to allow women to join for the first time since it was founded in 1831, responding to growing public pressure to end its archaic all-male setup.
The Garrick, a private club named for an 18th century actor, has been under scrutiny this year since a leak revealed that members included such establishment figures as King Charles, senior politicians, journalists, judges and actors.
According to media reports, the vote passed with nearly 60% in favour of allowing women to join the club located in the capital's West End. The Garrick did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In March, the Guardian newspaper published its membership list, which included the deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden, several senior judges and dozens of parliament members.
Critics said the club was preventing women from accessing the same networking opportunities as men.
Simon Case, Britain's most senior civil servant, and Richard Moore, head of the MI6 foreign spy service, resigned from the club, according to reports, in the wake of the leak.
The last vote on whether to accept female members was held in 2015, when it was rejected, because at the time a two thirds majority was needed to change a club rule.
Women had previously been allowed to enter the Garrick Club as guests, but were restricted in where they could go.
(Reporting by Alistair Smout and Sarah Young; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
