House of Fakes · 50 New Bond Street · Final Three Days
Three final days to understand the hidden impacts of empty rates avoidance and explore what can be done to end it. House of Fakes will be dismantled on 27 September 2026, making 22–24 September the last opportunity to visit.
The Story
Why House of Fakes matters
House of Fakes opened at 50 New Bond Street in March 2026, using a prestigious empty commercial space as an educational environment. It sets two paths side by side: the consequences of counterfeit goods and illicit trade, and the positive potential of responsible reuse for charities and communities.
Within the space, a dedicated area focuses on empty business rates, how the system can create incentives and loopholes, and what responsible alternatives look like. The project has opened dialogue with political, government, enforcement, property, charity and media audiences, continued most recently through the 30 June Treasury Commission session.
Open Access Government
The articles
Coverage of House of Fakes and the story behind it, published in partnership with Open Access Government.
Article 1
Have you weighed up your ’empty rates’ options?
Writing for Open Access Government, ASTOP Founder and CEO Shaylesh Patel sets out the true cost of empty rates avoidance — an estimated £300 million a year drained from England’s councils through loopholes involving snail farms, fake places of worship and box shifting. He contrasts this with ASTOP’s charity-led alternative, already adopted by councils including Dorset, Southend-on-Sea, Watford and Woking, which cuts empty rates bills by at least 50% while giving vetted charities rent-free space, including the House of Fakes installation at 50 New Bond Street. The article makes the case for closing the remaining legal loopholes and adopting a fairer, charity-led system nationwide.
Article 2
Coming soon
The next article in this series will be added here once published.
22–24 September 2026 · Final Three Days
A final opportunity to visit the House of Fakes
Free to attend
“Three final days to understand the hidden impacts of empty rates avoidance – and explore what can be done to end it.”
This event continues and deepens the dialogue begun at the 30 June Treasury Commission session, highlighting practical alternatives to unethical business rates mitigation and the social value of repurposing empty commercial space, for landlords, charities and communities alike.
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- Event: A Perfect Storm
- Venue: House of Fakes
- 50 New Bond Street, London
- Dates: Tuesday 22 – Thursday 24 September 2026
- Sessions: 09:30 · 14:00 · 18:00
3 days / 9 sessions - Price: Free
Looking Ahead
Empty space, used well, benefits everyone
Responsible reuse of empty commercial space gives landlords a well-maintained property, gives charities and communities a place to do their work, and gives the wider public a visible alternative to empty rates avoidance.
