The Charity Commission is considering whether to intervene after an east London-based charity café closed recently.
Hackney Chinese Community Services Association (HCCS) closed its Zao An Café in Hackney, which opened in November 2024, last month after saying that its operation “was not financially sustainable”.
The charity’s chair, Lin Fat Man, said in a statement that the café had been running on a “growing deficit” which had not been reported by its management team to the board of trustees.
He said the HCCS decided to close the café, operated at the local ESEA Community Centre, after its deficit grew to over £37,000 despite it paying “only a nominal monthly amount for rent and utilities”.
The charity made a serious incident report about the café’s financial losses to the commission, which confirmed to Civil Society it was assessing to “determine if there is a role for us”.
According to its most recently filed accounts, HCCS recorded a total income of £492,000 and expenditure of £618,000.
Hackney councillor Joe Walker said: “We are aware of the issues related to the closure of Zao An Café, and we are working with all parties involved to understand what has happened and how the council may be able to help.
“The delivery of services to the community in respect of council grants and the use of the premises remains a priority for us, and we are working with HCCS to ensure that this remains at the forefront of their considerations.”
Editor’s note: Some text from this article was removed on 22 July 2026 in line with our journalistic standards.
