Original article: http://thespiritualweek.wordpress.com/2012/05/19/diamond-way-buddhism-purchases-beaufoy-institute/

Diamond Way purchases Beaufoy Institute

The controversial Diamond Way group, led by Ole Nydahl, has purchased the Beaufoy institute building in London, UK for £9 million (€11 million / $14 million). The building was built in 1907 as a school, but was more recently used as a community centre before being derelict and empty for almost a decade. The local council for the area (Lambeth) decided to put it up for sale due to government funding cuts in April of 2011. It had previously refused an application from the Prince of Wales for an arts centre at the site. The site was under the control of the Beaufoy Trust, which was set up to promote

Ole Nydahl with a female follower.

education of poorer students. The Trust itself is still listed on with the Charity Commission, but does not appear to have actually spent any money at all for many years, so may be de facto defunct. Since 2011, the council has refused applications from two local arts colleges and instead sold the building to the Diamond Way group. Part of the building will now be made into their new ‘London meditation centre’, with the rest being turned into living quarters for members of the controversial group.
There has been local protests and criticism of the council’s processes, largely due to concerns about racist and anti-Islam comments made by the group’s leader, Ole Nydahl, and his links to right-wing groups. There have also been reports of him sexually abusing female followers.