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Shoreditch House investigated over out-of-date food label tampering claims. The claims about food safety at Shoreditch House are under investigation by both Hackney Council and owners Soho House Shoreditch House Google Maps News Briefings Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice. Two investigations have been announced after a former employee at private members' club Soho House claimed he was told to alter labels on out-of-date food. The claims about the food safety practice at Shoreditch House, Soho House's east London branch, are under investigation by both Hackney Council and the company. Soho House, which charges up to £4,500 a year for membership, has apologised for what it said was an "isolated food labelling incident". The chain of private members' clubs is popular with A-list celebrities. The likes of Taylor Swift and Kate Moss have been spotted at its locations across the world, while the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, reportedly met on a blind date in 2016 at its Dean Street house in London. Kamran Khan, who worked at Shoreditch House for four months, told the London Standard he was instructed to remove labels from prepared food and replace them with new ones showing later preparation and expiry dates. Mr Khan, who began working at the club on May 18, said he raised a formal whistleblowing report with Soho House on July 10, warning that the alleged practice could pose a risk to food safety and public health. Khan's TikTok has received more than 1.6 million views Kamran Khan/Sohohouseopp/TikTok He initially posted a video about his experience on TikTok on Monday, September 28. The video has since received more than 1.6 million views and more than 2,000 comments. A Hackney Council spokesman confirmed it had received a report concerning food safety and hygiene at Shoreditch House and has opened an investigation. Hospitality worker Mr Khan was reportedly on probation at the venue when he raised the concerns in July. He told the Standard he was dismissed from his job on September 25, eight days after he said he reported the matter to Hackney Council. Soho House confirmed that Mr Khan's contract was terminated but said the decision was "entirely unrelated to food labelling". Soho House's Shoreditch branch achieved a five-star rating, the top mark, at its last hygiene inspection in March. According to Hackney Council's website, it is against the law to supply food that is unsafe or harmful to human health. Food businesses must ensure that they comply with relevant food law, the council said, and owners can face enforcement action if they are found to have breached safety regulations. Soho House said it was "very sorry" that an "isolated food labelling incident" had taken place. Soho House was bought for £2 billion last year with actor Ashton Kutcher part of the deal A spokesman said: "We're really sorry that this isolated food labelling incident took place at one of our kitchens. This is not how we expect our Houses to operate and it is not company policy. "We have taken immediate action, and our Director of Health and Safety together with an external, independent consultant conducted an investigation and audit as a matter of priority. "Delivering the highest level of food safety for our members and guests is incredibly important to us. Shoreditch House has consistently achieved the highest food hygiene rating score of '5' from Environmental Health inspections - most recently in March this year - and also performed strongly in an independent and unannounced external audit last week. "For clarity, the former employee's contract was terminated for reasons entirely unrelated to food labelling." The first Soho House opened on London's Greek Street, in the neighbourhood it takes its name from, in 1995. Today, there are 10 in the capital alone and dozens of houses around the world, as well as Soho House designed restaurants, hotels, cinemas and co-working spaces. Soho House was acquired by MCR Hotels last year in a deal valuing the company at £2 billion that took it off the New York Stock Exchange. The investors included actor Ashton Kutcher, who at the time of the purchase was set to join the Soho House board. MORE ABOUT

Soho House accused of selling out-of-date food by ex-employee who claims he replaced 'use by' labels. A former employee says he was told to replace 'use by' labels on expired food. A former employee of an exclusive private members' club in East London has claimed that it was selling out-of-date food. Article continues below Soho House's 'Shoreditch House' branch has not denied the claims but has launched an internal investigation into what a spokesperson called an "isolated incident". It's now also subject to an investigation by Hackney Council on food safety grounds. Article continues below In a viral social media video, now viewed by hundreds of thousands of people, the former employee claims he was dismissed after voicing concerns about the sale of expired food. Soho House refutes this claim, with a spokesperson telling MyLondon that the employee's contract was "terminated for reasons entirely unrelated" to the incident. Article continues below 138205441846 Shoreditch House, a branch of the Soho House group, is a luxury private members' club in Ebor Street, offering customers dining and wellness, with memberships from £291.67 per month. The ex-employee, whom we've chosen not to name, said he had made a complaint which led to an internal investigation by the club chain's management, which he says concluded that expired food was being sold at the Shoreditch location. Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The former employee claimed that the behaviour continued after the complaint, and that he raised the issue with Hackney Council. He then alleges that he was sacked days later for doing so. "They kept on selling the out-of-date food, because of that, I reported them to Hackney Council (...) on September 17, and on September 25, I was fired," he claimed. MyLondon has received confirmation that Shoreditch House is now under investigation by Hackney Council. A council spokesperson said: "We have received a report about food safety and hygiene at Shoreditch House and have opened an investigation." Article continues below A Soho House spokesperson said it was taking immediate action and was investigating the incident with an external, independent consultant. They also remained adamant that they take their members' food safety incredibly seriously and that they have the highest food hygiene rating, 5 stars. A Soho House spokesperson said: "We're really sorry that this isolated food labelling incident took place at one of our kitchens. This is not how we expect our Houses to operate, and it is not company policy. "We have taken immediate action, including our Director of Health and Safety, together with an external independent consultant, conducting an investigation as a matter of priority. Article continues below "Delivering the highest level of food safety for our members and guests is incredibly important to us. Shoreditch House has consistently achieved the highest food hygiene rating score of '5' from Environmental Health inspections - including the most recent in March this year - and also performed strongly in an independent and unannounced external audit last week. "For clarity, the former employee's contract was terminated for reasons entirely unrelated to food labelling."

Freed From launches after assessing "more than 9,000" non-alcoholic drinks. By Lucy Britner September 8, 2026 New non-alcoholic drinks distributor Freed From has launched in the UK after a three-year global search that saw around 9,000 wines, spirits and elixirs tasted. The business, founded by entrepreneur and financier Charles Davies (pictured), has selected "fewer than 4%" of the drinks assessed to achieve its Made The Grade classification, with those products considered for inclusion in the Freed From Collection. The drinks were sourced from around 2,300 producers across 57 countries, with the final collection spanning non-alcoholic wines, spirits and elixirs. The company's portfolio brochure lists around 40 producers, including Bel Nada Drinks from Switzerland, Finote from France, Joy's Island Spice from the US and Weingut Bernhard Ellwanger from Germany. Freed Distribution, the UK distribution company within the Freed From Group, launched this week, with expansion into Europe through Freed From SL planned from 2027. Davies, who has lived alcohol-free for many years, said his interest in the category began with a search for drinks that offered more than an alternative to alcohol. "I became fascinated by the producers creating genuinely exceptional drinks, rather than simply alternatives to alcohol," he said. "That led me on a three-year journey of discovery, tasting thousands of non-alcoholic wines, spirits and elixirs from around the world - and ultimately to Freed From." The drinks considered for the collection were assessed by The Independent Panel, comprising professionals from the international drinks and hospitality industries, including sommeliers and mixologists. Wines were assessed under controlled tasting conditions, while spirits and elixirs were evaluated according to producers' recommended serves. Freed From said Made The Grade was a classification rather than an award, endorsement or marketing badge, based on the professional judgement of the panel. Alongside its full collection, the company is launching The Liquid Edit, which will offer curated selections for specific customers and occasions. The range includes a Retail Non-Alcoholic Selection Box, comprising 12 spirits and elixirs across a range of flavours and drinking experiences. Freed From has also appointed former Soho House UK director Antoine Melon as strategic ambassador and Nicolas Medicamento, known as Dr Cocktail, as ambassador for trade relationships. Davies said the business aimed to go beyond distributing individual products and instead build markets for the producers it represents. The collection will continue to evolve as new producers and drinks are discovered, assessed and classified.