The group of hotels and private members’ clubs issued “credit equal to the monetary value of their membership fees” as a result of the global shutdown and is offering to ship popular items in “Soho Boxes.” The company also announced the Soho Impact Support Fund of money donated from the chain’s senior team to staff, which has been furloughed.
The Soho House group of hotels and private members’ clubs has announced that staff will be furloughed and membership fees will be turned into Soho House store credit as the group adapts to the global shutdown of its venues, Forbes reported.
In an e-mail to members, founder Nick Jones confirmed that all “Houses” have been shut while its approximate 89,000 members can use “credit equal to the monetary value of their membership fees” which can be spent on spa products, bedrooms, food and drink, Forbes reported. Jones confirmed that “to protect jobs” the group’s employees will be enrolled in government support schemes, but confirmed that the aim remains to get staff back “as soon as possible.” Adding, “In a country where there is no support, or it is limited in timescale, we are dedicated to helping our people until we reopen.”
As the firm works to keep its connection to its members, the e-mail confirmed that popular items from the Soho House chain can be shipped to members in the form of “Soho Boxes,” Forbes reported.
“A lot of members have been asking how we can bring Soho House to them while we’re closed.” Jones writes, “So, this week, we’ll be introducing a series of Soho Boxes for you. Made up of a collection of items, they’ll include: House Comforts, House Pamper, House Cocktails, Teeny House and House Sanctuary.”
The e-mail also announced the Soho Impact Support Fund of money donated from the chain’s “senior team” to staff, while in the U.K. the chain will help provide 2,000 meals a day to hospital staff “on the frontline treating people with COVID-19,” Forbes reported.
In the U.K. the government will pick up the bill for all staff ‘furloughed’ by Soho House, paying 80 percent of wages up to ($3,100) per month at no risk or expense to the employer, Forbes reported.
Now owned by billionaire Ron Burkle, Soho House group was valued at $2 billion in October last year after raising $100 million from new investors to fund doubling the size of its chain of hotels and private members’ clubs around the world, Forbes reported. Jones opened the first Soho House in London 1995 above his French restaurant Café Boheme. Membership today costs around $2,500 per year, but discounts are available to under 30s.
In October last year Jones said that over the year Soho House has taken an “important step” toward becoming “a truly global members network,” Forbes reported. Marking something of a turnaround and lifting some of the gloom over the company’s estimated $500 million debt pile, Soho House announced turnover was up 20 percent to $556 million, driven by membership subscription income up 30 percent to $135 million and strong food and beverage sales up 20 percent to $245 million.
The group is now a global chain, having opened venues in White City (London), Dumbo (Brooklyn, NYC), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Little Beach House Barcelona and Soho House Mumbai, expansion plans are afoot and in 2020 and 2021 the elite hospitality group plan to open new venues in Paris, Austin, Mykonos, Rome, London, Tel Aviv, Nashville and Brighton, Forbes reported.
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