Squatters have taken up residence in a London pub leased by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.
Currently listed for sale at 13 million pounds ($16.2 million), the historic York & Albany hotel and gastropub has been occupied by a group of squatters, estimated to be at least six individuals, the Independent reported. Boarding up windows and displaying a conspicuous “legal warning,” they assert their right to the space near Regent’s Park.
Instagram accounts under the names Camden Art Cafe and Autonomous Winter Shelter have shed light on this occupation, heralding the emergence of what they term a “new squatted community space” within the confines of the York & Albany establishment.
Photographs show makeshift arrangements of tables within the pub’s interior.
“We are occupying the York and Albany Hotel in Camden as the collective Camden Art Cafe,” a post on the Instagram page states. “We aim to open our doors regularly to anyone and everyone, particularly the people of Camden who have been victims of gentrification and parasitic projects like HS2.”
Authorities, specifically the Metropolitan Police, acknowledged being notified of the situation on April 10 but chose not to intervene.
“This is a civil matter and so police did not attend as an emergency call out,” the Metropolitan Police wrote in a statement to The Epoch Times. “However, we are in the process of identifying if any subsequent offenses have occurred, and will take action where appropriate.”
This stance underscores the complex legal terrain surrounding squatting rights in the United Kingdom.
Nonresidential Squatting
Squatters’ rights in London, as in the rest of England and Wales, are based on a combination of common law and specific legislation.
The most significant legislation concerning squatting is the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO), which came into force in September 2012. This act made it a criminal offense to squat in a residential building. However, squatting in nonresidential buildings, such as commercial properties or empty pubs, remains a civil matter rather than a criminal offense.
In essence, squatters in London have certain rights if they occupy a nonresidential property without the owner’s permission. These rights are mainly focused on the legal process that owners must follow to evict squatters. Squatters may gain legal rights over a property if they occupy it continuously for a certain period, usually 10 years, and meet specific criteria outlined in the law.
A notice affixed to one of the doors presents a defiant stance from the squatters, asserting their occupancy rights. Signed collectively as “The Occupiers,” the notice highlights that the venue is nonresidential, invoking exemptions from the LASPO legislation.
The sign warns that “any entry or attempt to enter into these premises without our permission is, therefore, a criminal offense as any one of us who is in physical possession is opposed to such entry without our permission” and that “if you attempt to enter by violence or by threatening violence we will prosecute you. You may receive a sentence of up to six months’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £5,000.”
The notice goes on to say that anyone wishing to evict them must issue a claim for possession in the county court or the high court.
The history of the York & Albany pub adds complexity to the current situation.
Filmmaker Gary Love bought the property in 2007 and subsequently leased it to Mr. Ramsay, according to the Independent. However, a legal disagreement regarding the terms of the lease arose between the two parties. Mr. Ramsay took the matter to the High Court, alleging the signature on the rent agreement was forged. The court sided with Mr. Love in the matter. The venue has been available for purchase since last year, and its future is uncertain.
The Epoch Times contacted Mr. Ramsay for a statement, but he did not respond before press time.
From The Epoch Times
