The City Bridge Foundation, a historic charity established by royal charter in 1282 to maintain the City of London’s bridges, has come under scrutiny for its recent spending priorities amid concerns over funding linked to a group accused of ties to Hamas. Originally tasked with the upkeep of bridges such as London, Southwark, Blackfriars, Tower, and Millennium, the foundation has amassed an endowment of approximately £1.5 billion ($2.87 billion), positioning it among the wealthiest charities in the United Kingdom.
Despite having substantial funds to address critical infrastructure needs—including the £6 million required to prevent the closure of Waterloo Bridge and the £300 million needed to repair Hammersmith Bridge, whose refurbishment has been postponed due to cost—critics argue the foundation has shifted its focus away from its original mandate. Since 1995, the City of London Corporation, the charity’s sole trustee, secured permission to extend the foundation’s charitable purposes beyond bridge maintenance, enabling it to allocate funds toward a wide range of social justice initiatives.
Between 2024 and 2025, the foundation reported expenditures of £125 million on bridge projects alongside £81.5 million in grants, with some maintenance projects deferred. Grants have supported causes including the LGBT Consortium, Race on the Agenda, Spectra CIC for trans and sex worker advocacy, and black-led charities through funds such as Comic Relief’s Global Majority Fund. Additional investments have targeted climate action strategies and migrant rights campaigns. The foundation’s chairman, Paul Martinelli, described its role as a “social justice funder” seeking to address structural inequality.
Concerns escalated in 2023 after the City Bridge Foundation awarded £1.17 million in grants to the Muslim Charities Forum (MCF) to improve governance and representation within London’s Muslim-led charity sector. The controversy centers on the MCF’s treasurer, Shuaib Yusuf, who also serves as a trustee of the Al-Khair Foundation. In August 2026, the Charity Commission launched an investigation into Al-Khair concerning alleged ties to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. Al-Khair has denied any links or funding to proscribed groups. The MCF affirmed that the City Bridge Foundation’s grants did not support Al-Khair’s activities, and Yusuf has since stepped down as treasurer.
Advocates for the foundation argue that its expanded remit allows for addressing pressing social inequities, reflecting evolving community needs. However, critics warn that diverting funds from urgent infrastructure repairs—resulting in deteriorating bridges that contribute to traffic disruptions and economic strain in London—risks undermining the charity’s original purpose and public trust.
A recent study by transport software firm Basemap highlighted the impact of bridge closures, noting that bus journey times during peak hours in affected areas increased from around nine minutes to up to 50, with several routes discontinued. This underscores the practical consequences of deferred maintenance amid the foundation’s broad social grants.
The debate over the City Bridge Foundation’s role encapsulates broader tensions between traditional charitable obligations and contemporary social agendas, raising questions about accountability, governance, and the effective stewardship of long-standing public resources.