London’s ground-breaking social enterprise private members’ club, the House of St Barnabas, is to reopen on September 1, 2020 after being closed for several months due to coronavirus. The club is proud to announce a new partnership with iconic London store Liberty and the launch of a new cultural event series, A New Dawn, the first of which will be an installation by acclaimed British visual artist GAIKA.

Unique amongst members’ club in London, House of St Barnabas is a social enterprise built on a mission to break the cycle of homelessness. The organisation aims to educate and convene on the conversations around homelessness. With inclusivity and community at its core, the House aims to be one of the most diverse members’ clubs in London, changing society whilst having fun along the way. It’s a radical business model which the House of St Barnabas hopes will inspire other organisations across the city to adopt.

The hospitality industry has been particularly hard hit by coronavirus. The widespread use of zero hours contracts within the industry has resulted in many people unable to pay their rent and a surge of homelessness and food poverty. Over the past ten years, homelessness in the UK has increased by 141 percent. * The coronavirus pandemic has also reignited the importance of community. Connections and compassion are now more important to us than ever. An inclusive members’ club for modern times, community and social impact are at the heart of the ethos of House of St Barnabas and the club’s members are strongly invested in the work the charity does.

Rosie Ferguson, CEO, House of St Barnabas says, “Our mission at House of St Barnabas is to break the cycle of homelessness. We help people whose lives are precarious, supporting them through a process of work, home and community – the three pillars that are critical to having a stable life. As an organisation, we aim to provide advice, support and community to help people get to a point where they are no longer in precarious circumstances. Over the lock down period, many of the people that we’ve supported out of these situations have taken a step backwards. We’ve worked hard to provide practical support and guidance through a really difficult time. Our members and partners are an integral part of our mission; they help create our community and provide mentoring, friendship and support to the people we work with. We look forward to welcoming everyone back again.”

The club delivers its mission through its Employment Academy, running 8-12 week programmes for people with lived experiences of homelessness. The charity acts as a driving voice to ensure that good secure work, with a living wage, a secure home and a supportive network, are a reality for all those affected by homelessness. Training is interesting and varied and participants complete work experience in the club – either in a hospitality role or working in the office. The wider community of club members enhance the training, providing a supportive environment in which participants can challenge themselves to change their lives. Club members are also mentors to participants, who receive at least 12 months support once they complete the Employment Academy programmes.

The House of St Barnabas will be relaunching with a series of culture and impact events which will also be digitally streamed. The series, called “A New Dawn” aims to provide a challenging, thought-provoking and radical forum for debate. The first event in the series will be an installation by critically acclaimed British visual artist, rapper and producer, GAIKA, whose work fuses black club music culture with architecture, engineering, graphic design and political theory to create multi- dimensional works that defy conventional categorisation. The new installation will aim to address the House of St Barnabas’ links to slavery – like many cultural institutions in London, House of St Barnabas has a colonial past, owned in the 18th Century by Jamaican slave owner Richard Beckford. GAIKA’S family were enslaved by Beckford in Jamaica. More details to be announced soon.

The House of St Barnabas will be also partnering with iconic London store Liberty on a range of exciting initiatives to be announced soon. With the nod to the future partnership, Front of House staff will be wearing Liberty Upcycled Tana Lawn™ face coverings. House of St Barnabas is one of two charities chosen for the Liberty, for Life initiative.

Boasting a beautiful walled garden – the largest private garden in Soho – the House of St Barnabas is an historic Grade 1 listed Georgian townhouse with a unique history in the heart of Soho. With a reputation for ground-breaking cultural events that spark debate, House of St Barnabas has hosted exhibitions, talks and live music from some of the most iconic names in British culture, from Jeremy Dellar to Jarvis Cocker, Rob Ryan to Wolf Alice. The work of artists such as Tracey Emin, Banksy, the Chapman Brothers and David Shrigley regularly grace the club’s walls as part of their rolling art exhibition.

This iconic building on the corner of Soho Square has a unique place in the history of London. Built in 1679 as a private house, it has been providing help and shelter for the homeless of London for over 150 years. Surviving a WW11 bombing and a fire it is believed to be the setting for Dr Manette’s house in Charles Dicken’s A Tale of Two Cities – the club’s garden is immortalised in the book.

Founding members include actor Peter Capaldi, DJ and record company founder Gilles Peterson, Jarvis Cocker, Rob da Bank, editor Jo Elvin, musician and poet Charlie Dark, founder of Run Dem Crew and Michelle Morgan, co-founder of youth-led creative network Livity.

House of St Barnabas will also be relaunching with a new food concept, created by Gavin Young, Chef Director. The new menu will be innovative and contemporary, using the freshest seasonal products, sourced locally wherever possible. Sustainability and ethical farming will be at the heart of the new approach with clever cooking techniques employed to control food waste. The new menus will champion fresh British produce using homegrown vegetables and herbs with plenty of vegan options.

The new menu will include dishes such as: hand Dived Orkney scallop ceviche with cumbrae oyster, sea vegetables & white radish; crisp aubergine with smoked baba ganoush and whipped goat’s cheese; slow roasted and smoked beef short rib with smoked onions and brown butter. Deserts include white chocolate & buttermilk panna cotta, poached pineapple with elderflower granita and an almond tansy pudding with black butter ice cream and pistachio praline.

Safety Measures

New safety measures have been put in place post coronavirus. All tables will now be 2 metres apart and capacity will be reduced from 300 to 100 at any one time. The club has plenty of work-spaces and members can book private spaces to work and meet colleagues (pre booking required). House of St Barnabas staff have been trained on new covid-security processes, and an enhanced cleaning regime run throughout the club.

All staff working in the supply chain of The House of St Barnabas are paid the London Living Wage.

Opening Date: September 1st 2020 (soft launch for existing members from August 20th)

Opening Hours: 9am to 9pm, Monday – Friday initially

The club is accepting new members who align with their ethos. To apply for membership, please visit https://hosb.org.uk/our-members-club/#hosb-membership, or contact [email protected] to arrange a tour.

The House of St Barnabas, 1 Greek Street, Soho Square, London W1D 4NQ