Director of struggling Sub Club ‘regrets’ post showing lavish holiday
AMILLIONAIRE director of Sub Club said he “regrets” posting pictures on the internet flaunting his lavish lifestyle days before backing a crowdfunder to save the club from closure.
Usman Khushi, whose family owns the multi-million-pound Glasgow-based Trespass brand, bragged on his Instagram account about jetting off to Germany for a friend’s birthday days before backing an online campaign to raise £90,000 to keep Sub Club in business.
The famed Glasgow nightclub announced it was threatened with closure after being locked out of the government’s furlough scheme because it submitted paperwork a day late.
Mr Khushi is a director of the club’s parent company and his family’s personal wealth was estimated last year at £90m by the Sunday Times Rich List, making them one of Glasgow’s richest families.
Pictures posted to Mr Khushi’s social media accounts show the playboy director celebrating his famous DJ friend Peggy Gou’s birthday at a plush residence in the German capital after being flown as a guest on a private plane. He said he now regrets posting the pictures.
Outrage was sparked by the revelation that Mr Khushi, who says he has received no payment as a minority stakeholder in the club’s parent company since his appointment in April last year, was appealing for punters to keep the nightclub afloat just days after he boasted on Instagram about a swanky birthday bash in Germany.
The nightclub, which is often hailed as the heart of the city’s nightlife, has raised more than £170,000 on crowdfunder. co.uk after the shock announcement it could close its doors permanently.
On Tuesday, the club said that it had failed to secure a place on the goverment’s furlough scheme after submitting its paperwork a day late and was trying to claim back £31,864 already paid to staff.
Tory MSP for Glasgow Annie Wells said the pictures left “a sour taste in the mouth”.
She added: “Posting photos of flying off in private jets while many employees and customers will be struggling with the current circumstances was very misguided.
“I hope that the director will consider or has already made a sizeable donation in order to keep the Sub Club afloat.”
Scottish Greens co-leader and Glasgow MSP Patrick Harvie said: “It’s concerning that an apparently wealthy individual who flies off to parties on private jets in the middle of a public health crisis is pleading poverty to the public.”
Mr Khushi said: “I took on a minority stake in the Sub Club last year because it became available out of a need for support and funding which I could provide at that time. I’ve never made a penny out of the club and never will – I’ve only put money in.
“My work at Subbie is purely out of love for a Glasgow institution that deserves to be protected and behind the scenes I do my best to help. With regards to the crowdfund, I donated personally as soon as it launched and reached out to many of my contacts from various walks of life to join me in donating if they could afford to do so. I also proudly support many other Glasgow venues and independent promoters.
“I was a guest on a trip to Berlin last weekend where we travelled on a private plane and I shared this on my Instagram.
I don’t own a plane and didn’t charter one personally, but in hindsight, I can understand why these posts taken together, out of context, have caused some confusion and are insensitive, which I regret. We live and learn.”
Mike Grieve, managing director of the Sub Club, confirmed that Mr Khushi had stepped in during “a time of need” for the club.
He added: “The work he’s been doing behind the scenes around our crowdfunder has been phenomenal. His contacts mean that we’ve been able to secure support from many more influential people both in dance music and beyond and we’re grateful to him for all his help.”