Entertainment | Celebrity

Embassy Club opening: A star-studded affair

The opening of Embassy Club draws a host of British celebrities for a night out in the Dubai Marina

By Kelly Crane, Senior Reporter
Published: 00:05 November 20, 2011

Clockwise from top left: Gemma Merna, Jessica Wright, Abbey Clancy and Sam Faiers

Image Credit: Zarina Fernandes/Gulf News
Clockwise from top left: Gemma Merna, Jessica Wright, Abbey Clancy and Sam Faiers.

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Embassy Club Dubai has opened its doors and the message is simple: "This is not a nightclub, it's a supper and members' club."

That's the word from owner and founder of Embassy Club, London, Mark Fuller, who has finally succeeded in seeing his vision of this establishment here in Dubai, come to fruition.

The opening night of Embassy Club Dubai at Grosvenor House Tower Two was a star-studded affair which saw a British invasion on a very glamourous red carpet. As '50s-inspired models and dancers lined the concourse, footballers, Wags, UK reality television stars, actresses, singers and sportsmen had tongues wagging at the lavish bash.

"The extraordinary thing about the Embassy in Dubai is that it is on the 43rd-45th floors, with the most stunning views across The Palm down to the Burj Al Arab," said Fuller who also admitted the Dubai edition to his empire is his most exciting so far.

"You've got one floor as a restaurant with a private dining room on one side, and a kitchen on another. The middle floor has an Italian raw bar and lots of seats, as well as champagne and vodka bars, and a private room — I've nicknamed it James Bond's playground. Then the floor below is a main bar with an emphasis on style and quality."

Former X Factor star Katie Waissel opted for a very "Amy Winehouse"-looking dress, complete with red lips and shoes. The polite singer, who now performs with a new band called the Red Velvet Lovers (we see what you did there Katie), was in high spirits as she entered the party with Fuller, also her manager.

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England cricketer Kevin Pietersen was happy to chat sport while his wife, Liberty X band member Jessica Pietersen, admitted she missed performing with the group which disbanded a number of years ago. "We have no plans to reform. If I see people performing, it does bring back all the memories, though."

Footballers Fabio Canavaro, Trevor Sinclair and Walter Zenga, must have made Abbey Clancy feel a little more at home, as she walked the carpet without her footballer-hubby Peter Crouch. "Dubai has become a bit of a home from home for me, yeah, I love it," said Clancy. "Every time I come I feel like a princess. This is the first time I've been to Embassy, so I'm really excited. Fun with the girls and people I love are always the best nights out, but an amazing setting always helps."

‘I'm lovin' it'

Star of Britsh soap Hollyoaks, Gemma Mema, looked stunning in a red dress and happily chatted to the waiting media.

"This is my first time to Dubai and I'm just lovin' it," said Mema. "The hotels and the service is wonderful. There's nothing like a good night out with all your girlfriends, so tonight should be great."

Sam Faiers and Jessica Wright of the Bafta award-winning and hugely popular show The Only Way is Essex also made an appearance after a day on the beach, topping up their tans.

"The only thing which really makes a good night out is who you're with. Music and surroundings matter, but it's more about who you're with," said Faiers. Speaking about her brother, currently appearing in the reality television show I'm A Celebrity — Get Me Out of Here, Wright, wearing Aqua Couture, added: "I'm so proud of Mark. He's doing so well. He's doing all the challenges and trials. Hopefully it'll do him justice."

‘Dubai is like Las vegas'

Other celebrities included eccentric singer Eva Simons who played two gigs over the weekend at People by Crystal and N'Dulge at Atlantis, The Palm. "Dubai is like Las Vegas, but a bit closer to home. A couple of my DJ friends say the party scene is crazy here, so I'm very excited. The perfect night for me is when I'm sleeping," joked the Dutch star. "Nah, I just wanna hear new music. I like to go and hang out with other DJs and see what they're doing."

Poised over three elegant tiers with 360-degree views of the Dubai Marina and the Arabian Gulf, Embassy Club Dubai will no doubt attract the glitterati of Dubai.

The club has been many years in the making, complementing the legendary Embassy Mayfair, which is one of the most prestigious supper clubs in the UK, famed for its celebrity clientele, funky music and glamour.

Embassy Club Dubai will be open from 10pm-2am on weekdays and until 3am on weekends, but is closed on Mondays. For restaurant reservations, call 04-3176000.

A brief history

- Fuller took over Embassy on Old Bond Street, London, in 1983.
- He is known in the UK for projects with Marco Pierre White, like Sugar Reef and Red — Cube Bar & Grill, which he sold for £7.5 million (Dh43.48 million).
- He set up the company Concept Venues in 2003 with Iron Maiden manager Andy Taylor.
- They bought and refurbished up-market fish-and-chips restaurant Geales in Chelsea in 2007.