RANK, the gaming and restaurant conglomerate, is considering selling the Clermont Club, one of London’s most glamorous casinos and a former haunt of the infamous Lord Lucan.

Rank is considering a disposal after receiving unsolicited approaches for the casino, located in Berkeley Square in the heart of Mayfair. Analysts said it could fetch between £35m and £40m.

Approaches are said to have been made by individual businessmen rather than rival casino groups. A decision on the Clermont’s future has yet to be made, but the board, led by Ian Burke, the newly appointed chief executive, is expected to decide that the prestigious venue does not fit with Rank’s more mainstream Grosvenor chain, which forms the bulk of its casino operations.

Rank took on the Clermont in 1990, when it acquired the site as part of its £500m acquisition of Mecca Leisure.

The club, built in 1740, is steeped in history, having once been the home of Regency dandy Beau Brummell.

It was opened as a casino by John Aspinall in 1962 and became Lucan’s favourite gaming house. The basement is occupied by Annabel’s, the society nightclub.

A number of London’s top-end casinos have changed hands in recent times. The latest deal was London Clubs International’s sale of the exclusive Les Ambassadeurs casino to Putera Sampoerna, one of Indonesia’s richest men, for £115m. Analysts said he could be a bidder for the Clermont, should Rank decide on a sale.

David Boden resigned last week as head of Rank’s gaming division, which also includes the Mecca bingo chain.

He was reportedly ousted, with Burke assuming operational control of the gaming division.

Burke will also move Rank’s head office from central London to Maidenhead, in Berkshire, where the gaming division is based.

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