The Manchester Club was designed by Edward Salomons and John Philpot-Jones in 1870-71 and was regarded as the architects’ best city centre creation. Now a romantic interpretation of Venetian Gothic, it is one of the largest surviving clubhouses in the country outside London. Its unofficial name was ‘The Lighthouse of Liberty’ and it was the former home of the Liberal Democrats in the days of the ‘Whigs’ and ‘Tories’ at the turn of the 20th century. Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone, was the VIP guest when the building opened, on 17 October 1871 and his statue still stands in the building today. Other former members include the one-time Liberal MP for Oldham, Winston Churchill and Lloyd George. The Reform Restaurant, now occupied by Room, was known for its prestigious celebrities and MUFC post-match celebrations in the George Best era, especially after the 1968 Cup Final.