The discreet doorway of 45 Spring Gardens is easily missed amidst the ritzy bars, restaurants and shops around it, but behind it lies a hidden haven of old school hospitality.

Inside, a lift leads up to a private bar and dining room standing proud over King Street . Tables are set for lunch, draped with white linen, and the walls are hung with paintings and newspaper clippings hinting at a rich history.

The St James’s Club is the oldest private members’ club in Manchester, and among the oldest in the UK, with a heritage that long predates its current home.

Established in 1825 as a gentlemen’s club for the city’s business community, it started life on Norfolk Street as the Union Club before merging with the Clarendon Club in 1962 and taking on its current name.

After several moves, the club settled in the former Barclays bank in Spring Gardens in 2001 where it continues to provide a private space for professionals to socialise and network.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

The club has its own restaurant, where members and their guests can dine privately during the week, and also hosts regular lunches, suppers and wine tasting evenings.

“What used to happen was gentlemen travelling around on business didn’t want to stay in hotels because they wouldn’t know anyone,” says Rowan Stone, head of the club’s social committee.

“If you were a member of a club you would never dine alone.”

(Image: Joe Gregory Photography)

The club’s 320 members today include lords and ladies, MPs and councillors from across the political spectrum, as well as business owners, start-up entrepreneurs and professionals.

“I always think of the club in two key parts. You’ve got a tremendous building and a tremendous collection of people through the membership. We provide a home from home,” says vice-chairman Howard Spargo.

“It’s somewhere you can walk in and be greeted by friends, feel relaxed, get out of the hustle and bustle of the city and meet people that you wouldn’t meet in your normal walk of life.

“It’s a useful place to get to know people and make useful connections.”

But while networking opportunities abound, companionship and camaraderie come first according to Rowan.

“The first point to this club is friendship and getting on with other people,” he says.

“The fact you may at some point do some business or help someone is totally secondary.”

While its purpose remains the same today as in 1825, much has changed over the years. In 1999 it began admitting women - one of the first gentlemen’s clubs to do so - and a number of its committee members today are female.

The club’s diversity is now ‘quite remarkable’, according to Rowan, who says members come from ‘all kinds of backgrounds, creeds, colours and religions’.

“Membership has changed quite a lot since days gone by,” adds Howard, who at 37 is part of the youngest committee in the club’s history.

“We put a lot of work into ensuring we make the club as welcoming as it can be to everyone, whether male or female or whatever your political affiliation or career background.

“The history is there of course, it was a gentlemen’s club when we were first founded, but it’s come a long way and moved on.”

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Things have certainly moved on from 1932, when the Manchester Guardian noted that rules preventing members from bringing dogs into the club's Mosley Street premises at the time "might well have added 'nor a lady'."

"The Union Club has always kept itself austerely inviolate from the intrusion of women," the article, displayed in the bar, observes.

"Indeed, the rule against ladies was apparently more strictly enforced than that against animals."

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Some rules remain. Smart business dress is still expected - denim is a no-no - at most times, and laptops and mobile phones are not permitted to be used inside in favour of good, old-fashioned conversation. But the etiquette is less rigid than it used to be.

“We open on the bar a Thursday and Friday evening with no dress code,” says Howard.

“It’s a lot more relaxed than it used to be. There was a time you had to wear a tie. That’s a lot more relaxed now, especially in the summer months.”

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Prospective members must be proposed and seconded by at least two existing members to be considered by the committee.

“We like our new members to have come in as a guest and experienced the club and understand what it stands for,” says Howard.

“People can get in contact with us and ask for an introduction and we can show them around.”

Once approved (rejections are said to be rare) members pay a monthly subscription, varying according to their age and circumstances but typically around £60. Rowan likens the cost to that of a gym membership - an analogy he also uses to sum up its benefits.

“The more time and effort you put in to meet people, the more you get out,” he says.

“Having a gym membership for six months and never going will not get you fit.”

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

Benefits include reciprocal membership at 80 clubs around the world, giving access to institutions including the Savile Club and Lansdowne Club in London, New York’s Metropolitan Club and the Hong Kong Club.

“There are some private members’ clubs that are privately owned and run for profit - we are owned by our members,” says Howard.

“Of the reciprocal members, the majority of them are member-owned too. That means we can visit those clubs and those members can visit us, so if you’re in London and you want to stay there are rooms that can be rented to our members.”

As social media sites such as LinkedIn have broaded networking opportunities, the club has shifted its focus to events and regularly hosts property lunches, business forums and high-profile guest speakers.

The club has ambitious plans to grow its membership to 500 over the next few years, and meeting the needs of a new generation will be key.

“We’re moving from the old guard to the younger generation,” says Howard.

“We’re very mindful of what younger members require from the club but also extremely mindful of our history and tradition. It’s a fine balance.”