Charities hoping to get a favourable rate for their fund-raising events from charitable Charles Saatchi’s epomymous art gallery venue off Sloane Square might want to think again.

According to Telegraph columnist Tim Walker the organisers of the recent Art of Giving auction, which raised more than £140,000 for the charity had to hand over the full commercial rate of £60,000 for venue hire, plus a charitable £400 charge for every electrical socket used. In addition the organisers were not allowed to accept an offer from chef Heston Blumenthal to provide free canapes, instead being told that they would have to buy these from the venue’s “official” caterer, from which the management will be extracting the charitable, time-honoured sales commission.

Wonder if advertising whiz Charlie Boy, who knows a bit about image, knows how his lackeys are denting his? He really should be told.