Soho House goes private

Soho House returns to private ownership in a multi billion deal and adds a Hollywood investor to its board.

Soho House goes private after 2 billion deal with Ashton Kutcher joining board

Soho House is being bought by a private consortium led by MCR Hotels for about 2.7 billion dollars, returning the group to private ownership after four years as a public company on the New York Stock Exchange. The agreed offer is 9 dollars per share, an 18% premium to the last trade before the deal, but still below the 2021 peak of 14.21 dollars. Ashton Kutcher will join the board, alongside MCR chief Tyler Morse. Existing Soho House shareholders, including founder Nick Jones and investors like Richard Caring, will keep their stakes.

The deal follows a period of rapid expansion that critics say has stretched the brand’s exclusivity. Soho House plans to open four new houses soon, a move that sparked questions about whether the label can stay premium as it grows. Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, said the company needs more than celebrity star power to secure its longer term future and that the recent expansion has raised concerns about exclusivity and profitability in a tougher market.

The arrangement marks another push from private equity into the luxury club space, where brand cachet can attract investors but rarely guarantees steady profits. A celebrity-backed board may raise profile, but it does not automatically fix a business model that faces high operating costs and changing consumer behavior. The challenge for Soho House is to translate prestige into predictable earnings while managing member expectations and maintaining a sense of exclusivity as it scales.

Looking ahead, investors will scrutinize whether the new ownership can streamline costs, defend pricing, and balance growth with the club’s core identity. The deal tests whether Soho House can retain its aura without becoming merely a global hospitality chain that loses its unique appeal for members.

Highlights

The real test will be whether the new ownership can protect the club’s exclusivity while delivering sustainable profits.