THE FUGITIVE
Behind The Doors of London's Most Exclusive Nightclubs
Scandal has never been far from the doors of Tramp, the legendary London nightclub loved by royals, rockers and Hollywood royalty.
Brit hell raisers Burton, Best, Harris and Moon were regulars alongside the Collins sisters, one of whose other half was a founder of the club in 1969 along with front of house, Johnny Gold.
Since opening its doors on Mayfair’s Jermyn Street, also famous for gentleman outfitters, Tramp became a regular haunt for top royal boozer Princess Margaret and her teetotal but randy nephew Prince Andrew, who had a number of dates there.
The most famous one, which he denies, is of course with 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre, who claimed Andrew threw sweaty shapes on the dancefloor before she had to pleasure him at Ghislaine Maxwell’s nearby pad, where this now infamous photo was allegedly taken on the night of 10 March 2001.
Putting aside Andrew’s alibi that night, which The Upsetter investigated here, the Prince was in Tramp days later at the birthday bash of one of the Sangsters, a racing family who had bought the club with other investors in 1998.
It remained in British hands until late last year, when 43-year-old tattooed Italian, Luca Maggiora, a new breed of nightclub owner, took control of Tramp.
The former credit analyst for the London branch of an Italian bank left the world of finance in his late twenties to run exclusive nightspots in Mayfair for international jet setters and the types who buy banana coloured Lamborghinis.
He’s partied conspicuously with visiting hip hop royalty and Leonardo DiCaprio and now inherits the iconic club where decadence and discretion went hand in hand, gossip columnists were banned and celebrity meant more.
For the last five months, Tramp has been closed while undergoing a refurbishment and is expected to reopen its doors this autumn.
The Upsetter went uptown among the disco dust to examine dark rumours that Maggiora and other nightclub owners were using a security company that is a front for a fugitive who is at the heart of a major corruption scandal in London’s West End.
Turns out it’s true.
