Soho House agrees BSA settlement

Capital case: IDC claims £149m of illegal software was installed in London last year

Members' club Soho House has paid an undisclosed sum to the Business Software Alliance (BSA) after standing accused of using unlicensed software.

Soho House has four swanky locations across the capital, as well as clubs in Somerset and New York. The business has agreed an undisclosed settlement following an investigation by the anti-piracy body relating to alleged under-licensing of Microsoft software.

The announcement comes a fortnight into BSA's campaign to crack down on London piracy. Similar initiatives have previously been launched in Glasgow and Manchester. Figures released by IDC earlier this month claimed £149m of illegal software was installed in the capital last year.

The BSA stressed that software installed illegally, whether by design or accident, was a drain on the technology and creative industries. The anti-piracy organisation added that more than half a million Londoners work in the sector and piracy can stunt investment in research and development.

Alyna Cope, spokesperson for the BSA’s UK Country Committee, said: “Businesses which persist in installing and using illegal software are infringing copyright legislation and directly threaten the business environment at the heart of London’s growth, particularly in the vital technology and creative sectors.

"The amount of software used illegally in the capital remains unacceptable, and we will continue to take strong enforcement action to bring the piracy level down.”