Hackney Council Investigates Soho House Shoreditch Over Food Safety

Hackney Council has opened a food safety and hygiene investigation into Shoreditch House, one of Soho House's 10 London locations, after a former staff member reported alleged rat sightings and out-of-date food being served, according to BBC News. A council spokesperson told the BBC: "We have received a report about food safety and hygiene at Shoreditch House and have opened an investigation."

What triggered the council investigation?

The probe follows a complaint filed by Kamran Khan, a former chef at Shoreditch House who was on probation when he raised concerns in July, the BBC reported. Khan first flagged the issue informally with managers before submitting a formal complaint to Soho House. After the company investigated internally, it told Khan on August 24 that there was evidence supporting his claim and that steps were being taken to address it, according to the BBC's account. Khan said the alleged practice continued despite those assurances, which led him to escalate the matter directly to Hackney Council rather than continue relying on the company's internal process. His employment at the venue was terminated in early September, roughly two months after his initial complaint.

What did the former employee allege?

Khan told the BBC he was pressured to change labels on prepared food that had not sold by the end of the day, effectively extending its listed shelf life. He said he was instructed during a probation meeting to continue the practice, and that management framed refusal as a performance issue: "if I don't change labels on my own initiative, [they] would take that as a performance concern," he said. Khan, 30, who has worked in catering and hospitality for several years, said he felt compelled to report the practice because he regularly saw children and pregnant women dining at the venue. "I told them that I don't want to be held personally liable for anyone that gets injured," he said. Khan also told the BBC that rats had been present at the venue for an extended period and that cleaning staff were instructed to check daily for droppings.

What does UK law require for food date labeling?

Under UK food safety rules cited by the BBC, food served in a restaurant must be labeled with information including the best-before or use-by date. Altering or replacing those labels to make food appear more recently prepared than it is would run counter to that requirement, since the date on the label is meant to reflect the actual production or sell-by point rather than a revised one set after the fact. Hackney Council's investigation, as a local authority food safety and hygiene inquiry, has the authority to examine whether labeling practices, pest control records, and hygiene procedures at the Shoreditch venue met statutory standards.

How has Soho House responded to the allegations?

A Soho House spokesperson apologized for the labeling incident, telling the BBC: "This is not how we expect our houses to operate and it is not company policy." The company said it conducted an external, independent investigation and audit after Khan's formal complaint. It characterized the labeling incident as isolated and said re-labeling unsold food is not company policy, though it did not address Khan's claim about rats at the venue. Soho House also disputed any link between Khan's complaint and his termination: "For clarity, the former employee's contract was terminated for reasons entirely unrelated to food labeling," the spokesperson said. The company added that "delivering the highest level of food safety for our members and guests is incredibly important to us."

What is Soho House and what's at stake for the brand?

Soho House operates 46 locations across Europe, North America and Asia, alongside other hospitality businesses, and counts Prince Harry and Meghan Markle among its reported patrons — the two are said to have had their first date at one of its London venues, according to the BBC. Membership starts at £291.67 monthly, or £204.17 for members under 27. The company listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021, and its share price has since dropped sharply, per the BBC's reporting. Hackney Council has not indicated a timeline for concluding its investigation or specified what enforcement action, if any, it might pursue at Shoreditch House.