Investigation over risk to multi-million pound charity property
By The Charity Commission ·
The House of St Barnabas was set up in 1862 to provide temporary relief and support to people experiencing homelessness and it entered liquidation in January 2024. Linked to this charity was The House of St Barnabas in Soho. As a result of the liquidation a new corporate trustee, The Explorers Club (Soho), was appointed to the charity, in place of The House of St Barnabas.
The Explorers Club (Soho) then entered into a licence in early 2026 with the private company The Explorers Club (London) Ltd (‘TEC(London)’) allowing TEC(London) to use the charity’s property located at 1 Greek Street, to run a private members club and collect members’ fees. The licence fee would generate income for the charity and allow it to continue operating.
Last month, the regulator received a serious incident report informing it that the charity has been a victim of fraud as it disputes a loan that has been secured against its property at 1 Greek Street. The loan appears not to have been repaid and, as a result, the creditor is taking steps to recover its loan. The Commission has concerns that the charity’s main asset – the 1 Greek Street property – is at serious risk.
The regulator is launching this inquiry to establish the facts leading up to this point, to examine the financial arrangements and decision-making involving the charity.
Scope of the inquiry
The inquiry will examine the administration, governance and management of the charity and in particular:
- whether charitable property is at risk
- whether the governance arrangements are fit for purpose including the management and oversight of the licence agreement with The Explorer Club (London).
- the decision making around the charity’s financial arrangements including loans.
whether charitable property is at risk
whether the governance arrangements are fit for purpose including the management and oversight of the licence agreement with The Explorer Club (London).
the decision making around the charity’s financial arrangements including loans.
The scope of the inquiry can be extended if additional regulatory issues emerge.
It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing the issues examined, any action taken, and the inquiry’s outcomes.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society. Read further information about what the Commission does.
- On 29 October 2026 the Charity Commission (‘the Commission’) opened a statutory inquiry (‘the inquiry’) into the Charity under section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 as a result of its regulatory concerns that there is a significant risk to the charity’s assets.
- A statutory inquiry is a legal power enabling the Commission to formally investigate matters of regulatory concern within a charity and to use protective powers for the benefit of the charity and its beneficiaries, assets, or reputation. Reports of previous inquiries are available on GOV.UK.
- We also provide charities with guidance on what happens when the Commission opens an inquiry.
The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society. Read further information about what the Commission does.
On 29 October 2026 the Charity Commission (‘the Commission’) opened a statutory inquiry (‘the inquiry’) into the Charity under section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 as a result of its regulatory concerns that there is a significant risk to the charity’s assets.
A statutory inquiry is a legal power enabling the Commission to formally investigate matters of regulatory concern within a charity and to use protective powers for the benefit of the charity and its beneficiaries, assets, or reputation. Reports of previous inquiries are available on GOV.UK.
We also provide charities with guidance on what happens when the Commission opens an inquiry.
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Originally published by GOV.UK News & Communications