Full Breakdown
Food-Safety Probe at Soho House’s Shoreditch Club
By Drooid · · How we work
Investigation Triggered by Staff Allegations
Former Shoreditch House employee Kamran Khan, a 30-year-old hospitality worker, reported that staff were pressured to relabel unsold food and that rats were regularly seen in the venue. After filing an informal complaint in July, Khan made a formal grievance and was dismissed in September. He told BBC News he was warned that failing to change labels would be treated as a performance issue and that he feared liability for customers, including children and pregnant women. Hackney Council confirmed it has opened an investigation into the venue’s food-safety and hygiene practices.
Soho House’s Response
A spokesperson for Soho House said the relabelling incident was “isolated” and “not company policy.” The company added that it had commissioned an external, independent audit and that its director of health-and-safety was leading the review. The spokesperson also emphasized that the former employee’s termination was for reasons “entirely unrelated to food labelling.”
> “We have received a report about food safety and hygiene at Shoreditch House and have opened an investigation.” — spokesperson for Hackney Council
Background on the Club Chain
Soho House, founded in 1995, operates 46 clubs across Europe, North America and Asia. Membership fees start at £291.67 per month (or £204.17 for members under 27) and can reach £4,500 a year at premium locations. The group went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021 and was bought by a consortium of investors in 2023, with actor Ashton Kutcher joining the board. The Shoreditch venue has previously achieved a food-hygiene rating of 5 in the most recent March inspection, according to the club’s health-and-safety director.
Official Statements & Ongoing Review
Hackney Council’s spokesperson reiterated that the council is reviewing the health-and-safety complaint. Soho House’s health-and-safety director, together with an external consultant, is conducting a priority investigation.
Next Steps
The council’s investigation remains open, and Soho House has said the audit’s findings will be acted upon promptly. No further public updates have been scheduled.