Restaurant boss helped raise £2k for Grenfell ...but kept it for himself
WHEN a restaurant near Grenfell Tower held a fundraising evening for child survivors of the horrific fire, locals gave generously.
Sympathetic diners put in hundreds of pounds for youngsters who had lost loved ones.
But when a year went by and there was still no sign of the donations being handed over to any Grenfell charity, the manager of Rum Kitchen in Notting Hill found himself facing questions.
And when he was challenged over the money, George Nelson said he still had it, adding: ‘I took it because I needed it a lot more than the people of Grenfell. At the time they didn’t matter that much to me.’
Now, after a Daily Mail investigation, £2,056 from the whip-round has finally been handed over to a charity helping children deal with bereavement – and Mr Nelson has been dismissed from his job. Yesterday Rum Kitchen, which runs a chain of Caribbean restaurants, thanked the Daily Mail.
A spokesman said: ‘Following the terrible events at Grenfell Tower, colleagues at our Notting Hill branch – many of whom knew Grenfell residents – wanted to help in any way they could, including providing food and drink to the emergency services and putting on a fundraising event that raised more than £2,000.
‘The Rum Kitchen is satisfied the money raised was donated to a charity supporting those affected, but was concerned to learn the employee entrusted with making the donation did not do so within an acceptable timeframe. We are grateful that this was brought to our attention. The employee no longer works for the company.’
Rum Kitchen’s Notting Hill restaurant held the fundraising event eight days after the fire at Grenfell Tower in west London in June 2017, which killed 72. Diners were asked to donate at least £10.
A Rum Kitchen insider said: ‘Some guests were being very generous, giving donations of £20 and £30 during the evening. But what happened to the money?’
Some 17 months after the fire, the insider challenged Mr Nelson, who is in his twenties. In a recording of their conversation Mr Nelson says: ‘OK, I’ll give the money to charity. I took it because I needed it a lot more than the people of Grenfell. At the time they didn’t matter that much to me. It’s
‘I needed it a lot more than them’
not the best thing I’ve ever done, for sure. I’ve got the money now.’
The Mail met Mr Nelson at Rum Kitchen’s Carnaby Street restaurant, where he was then working as general manager. He denied keeping the money or saying he had needed it more than Grenfell survivors. He said the cash had been handed to a charity and claimed this happened in December 2017. He offered to produce a receipt to prove it, but after ten days the receipt he showed the Mail had the date torn off the top right-hand corner.
The well- established Child Bereavement UK charity confirmed it had accepted the donation as part of the Support 4 Grenfell Community Hub organisation formed after the fire.