Gentleman's club rules criticised as 'sexist'

The Castle Hill Club in Lincoln opened as a club in 1922

A gentleman's club which voted to continue to prohibit women from becoming members has been called "sexist" by a feminist group.

Women can enter the Castle Hill Club in Lincoln only as guests of men who are members.

Paul Watson, secretary at the club, which opened in 1922, said the rule "had always been the same" and "for the rights or wrongs of it, they wanted to leave it that way".

Ellie Henshaw, 19, from the University of Lincoln's Feminist Society, said the decision was "frustrating" and "it's not the default anymore that women should be excluded".

The club is on Castle Hill in Lincoln

All 560 members were asked to vote on whether women should be allowed to become members.

In the vote that closed on 7 May, 100 members voted to keep the rule the same while 78 voted for change.

Mr Watson said the vote was "democratic" and "all members had different views on it".

He said he believed women who visited the club as guests of male members were "happy".

"They keep coming. They're obviously comfortable in how the club is set up."

Mr Watson said the venue was historical.

"A lot of it has to do with the history of the club and about not wanting too much change to keep the club running as it has done since 1922."

Bee Moore (left) and Ellie Henshaw are members of the University of Lincoln's Feminist Society

Ms Henshaw said "times have changed" and women should be allowed to join.

"I'm a history student. I think denying progress in the name of history is a very flawed argument," she said.

Bee Moore, 18, from the society, said she understood men's clubs were "historic".

"But we live in an age where everyone is equal and excluding people is wrong," she said.

"I would call this sexist. I don't see a reason why women have been excluded."

According to Mr Watson, the Grade II listed building dates back to the Middle Ages and used to operate as a pub called the Black Boy.

In 1922, as the pub was struggling to stay afloat, he said pub regulars took over the establishment and made it a gentleman's club.

Eventually, the members bought the pub together and it became the free house run by volunteers, which it remains.

"When I was first there, there were 80 members. There's 560 now," Mr Watson said.

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