Soho House's Shoreditch Club Faces Council Probe After Whistleblower Alleges Rats and Relabelled Food

A private members' club operated by Soho House in east London is under investigation by Hackney Council over food safety and hygiene concerns, after a former employee alleged that unsold prepared food was being given new date labels and that rats had long been present at the site.

The venue at the centre of the inquiry is Shoreditch House, one of ten Soho House locations in the capital. The chain, which built its reputation as a favoured haunt of celebrities and media figures, confirmed that an external and independent investigation and audit had already been carried out but declined to address the specific allegation about rodents.

The former staff member, Kamran Khan, told BBC News that he was pressured to replace labels on prepared food whenever it remained unsold at the end of the day. He also said he routinely witnessed rats at the venue. His employment was terminated two months after he first voiced his concerns, a decision the company insists was unrelated to his complaints.

Khan, who is 30 and has worked in a number of catering and hospitality roles, initially raised the matter informally in July while still on probation at Shoreditch House. He later filed a formal complaint with the company. According to Khan, Soho House investigated and wrote to him on 24 August stating that there was evidence supporting his claim and that steps were being taken to resolve it.

Despite those assurances, Khan said the practice he had complained about continued. That prompted him to escalate the matter to Hackney Council rather than keep it inside the company. A council spokesperson confirmed the local authority had received a report about food safety and hygiene at Shoreditch House and had opened an investigation.

Khan told BBC News that during a probation meeting he was instructed to carry on relabelling food. He said he was warned that if he did not change the labels on his own initiative, the company would treat it as a performance concern. He added that he felt compelled to speak out because he saw many children and pregnant women dining at the restaurant.

"I told them that I don't want to be held personally liable for anyone that gets injured," Khan said. Under UK law, food served in a restaurant must carry labels setting out information including its best-before or use-by date, a requirement designed to protect diners from consuming items that may have spoiled.

Khan also alleged that rats had been a longstanding problem at the venue and that cleaning staff were instructed to check every day for rat droppings. Soho House did not respond to that particular claim, leaving the rodent allegation unaddressed by the company.

A spokesperson for Soho House apologised for the food labelling incident, describing it as isolated. "This is not how we expect our houses to operate and it is not company policy," the spokesperson said. The company said an external, independent investigation and audit had been conducted, and stressed that delivering the highest level of food safety for members and guests was incredibly important to it.

The spokesperson also stated that the former employee's contract was terminated for reasons entirely unrelated to food labelling. That assertion mirrors the company's earlier position that his dismissal, which came in September, had no connection to the concerns he raised.

Soho House has long projected an image of exclusivity and glamour. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly had their first date at one of its London venues. Membership fees start at £291.67 a month, or £204.17 for those under 27, a pricing structure that positions the clubs firmly in the premium segment of the hospitality market.

The group opened its first club in London in 1995 and has since expanded to 46 Soho Houses across Europe, North America and Asia, alongside a collection of other upmarket hospitality businesses. It listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021, but its share price fell sharply in the years that followed as the company struggled to turn a profit and faced accusations that it was losing the exclusivity that once defined it. A consortium of investors bought the business last year, with actor Ashton Kutcher joining its board.

The council investigation places fresh scrutiny on how the group manages operational standards at a time when its financial performance and brand identity are already under pressure. For a business whose appeal rests on members paying a premium for a certain lifestyle, allegations about food hygiene and pest control cut directly at the trust those members place in the brand.

The case also highlights the legal exposure facing individual hospitality workers. Khan said he feared being held personally responsible if a diner fell ill, a concern that reflects the serious obligations placed on food businesses and their staff under hygiene regulations. Whistleblowers in the sector can face pressure to stay silent, particularly when they are on probation and their job security is uncertain.

For now, Hackney Council's investigation will determine whether any enforcement action is warranted. The outcome could carry consequences for Shoreditch House specifically and for Soho House more broadly, as the company seeks to reassure members that its kitchens meet the standards its prices imply.