Established in 1831, the Garrick Club is a very wealthy, very influential, male-only club. Among the 1,500 privileged members – as revealed by The Guardian last week – are King Charles, judges of the highest order and the Deputy Prime Minister. A long list of renowned actors, artists and journalists also belong to the club, as well as almost a dozen MPs and three bishops. Within these esteemed ranks, however, are decisively no women.

Condemnation from both sides of the political aisle has been levelled at the club and its members following The Guardian’s publication. Both Conservative and Labour MPs point to the structural barriers the Garrick symbolises in preventing women’s access to positions of power. While club rules stipulate “business matters” are prohibited, members concede work is often carried out quietly and advantages are derived from the influential connections made.

Yet the Garrick Club also spotlights how male-dominated the British establishment remains – and that many of these men are comfortable belonging to an institution which has repeatedly blocked the inclusion of women.