Soho House Shoreditch location under investigation for food safety concerns

Shoreditch House, part of the private members club Soho House, is under investigation by Hackney Council following allegations raised by a former staff member regarding food safety issues. The former employee reported concerns about rats and the practice of serving out-of-date food. He claimed he was pressured to relabel prepared food that was not sold by the end of the day and observed rats at the venue. His employment was terminated two months after he raised these concerns, although Soho House stated that this was unrelated to his complaints. The company described the food incident as isolated and denied that relabeling unsold food is part of their policy. Hackney Council confirmed it is looking into the food safety and hygiene practices at the Shoreditch location. The former staff member, Kamran Khan, initially raised concerns informally in July before filing a formal complaint. He stated that during a probation meeting, he was told to continue the relabeling practice, which he felt compelled to report due to the presence of children and pregnant women at the restaurant. Khan mentioned that food served must be legally labeled with best-before or use-by dates. He also noted that there had been ongoing rat issues at the venue. A spokesperson for Soho House expressed regret over the incident, emphasizing that it is not reflective of their operational standards. They indicated that an independent investigation and audit had been conducted to address the matter. The company also clarified that Khan's contract termination was for reasons unrelated to the food labeling issue. Soho House, which began in London in 1995, now operates 46 locations globally and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021. However, its share price has faced challenges, leading to its acquisition by a consortium of investors last year, with actor Ashton Kutcher joining the board.