Entertainment
Gordon Ramsay ‘serves papers’ to squatters in £13,000,000 pub who ‘opened soup kitchen’-Josie Copson-Entertainment – Metro
Six ‘professional squatters’ have taken over.
![Gordon Ramsay ‘serves papers’ to squatters in £13,000,000 pub who ‘opened soup kitchen’-Josie Copson-Entertainment – Metro](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/SEC_200162840-57da.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1024)
Gordon Ramsay serves papers to squatters after £13m pub taken over(Picture: PA/Rex/@camdenartcafe)
Gordon Ramsay has served papers to the people occupying his £13 million pub.
The York & Albany pub, which also functions as a boutique hotel, near Regent’s Park is understood to have been temporarily closed while Ramsay, 57, signed over a multi-million-pound lease to new partners.
During its closure, a group of ‘six professional squatters’ have managed to gain access to the building, in which they are now sleeping and living, and have set up a community kitchen.
The Camden Art Cafe shared photos of a ‘busy cafe’ yesterday, which showed tables full of people creating artwork and they planned to do the same today.
However, they claim to have been asked to leave in an Instagram post and apologised to anyone planning to attend.
‘Apologies to everyone who was going to come along today. Papers served, cafe cancelled!’ the Instagram story read.
The York and Albany pub is located in Camden, north London (Picture: PA)
The squatters claim to have been served papers (Picture: @camdenartcafe)
The six ‘professional squatters’ locked themselves inside the Grade II-listed York & Albany hotel(Picture: Piers Mucklejohn/PA Wire)
Those in the property welcomed donations (Picture: W8Media / MEGA)
The Camden Art Cafe has publicly asked for clothing donations to keep the ‘free shop going’ in a notice, while occupying the venue.
Explaining their reasoning for being there, they wrote on Instagram: ‘We are occupying the York and Albany Hotel in Camden as the collective Camden Art Cafe.
‘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.
The Camden Art Cafe explained their reasoning for overtaking the pub (Picture: @camdenartcafe)
‘We provide free food, drinks, and a space to display their art without the ridiculous red-tape that galleries require people to jump over. We believe all of us and our art deserve dignity.’
They added that Camden has ‘one of the biggest wealth disparities in London,’ and so ‘it seems only fitting that £13 million properties that most locals would never be able to afford to visit should be opened up to all’.
The inside of the York & Albany pub looks dishelved (Picture: W8Media / MEGA)
In pictures snapped of the inside, the interior of the bar area is shown to be scattered with debris including plugs, water bottles, a beer can, used cups and a pair of crutches leaning against the wall.
On the exterior, the group placed a sign on the door threatening legal action against anyone who tries to force them out, claiming that they are entitled to stay there as it ‘is a non-residential building’.
‘Take notice that we occupy this property and at all times there is at least one person in occupation,’ it read.
‘That any entry or attempt to enter into these premises without our permission is therefore a criminal offence as any one of us who is in physical possession is opposed to such entry without our permission.’
The occupants taped a legal warning to the door (Picture: Piers Mucklejohn/PA Wire)
When contacted for comment by Metro.co.uk, Met Police confirmed in a statement: ‘Police were made aware of squatters at a disused property in Parkway, Regent’s Park, NW1 on Wednesday, 10 April.
‘This is a civil matter and so police did not attend the property.’
Film director and actor Gary Love bought the freehold for the former coaching inn from the Crown Estate in 2007, with Ramsay, 57, purchasing a 25-year lease off him and transforming it from an all-but derelict pub into a boutique hotel and restaurant.
The Michelin-starred chef also lost a court battle back in 2015 over the premises, when he was found personally liable to pay £640,000 in rent, as arranged by his father-in-law Chris Hutcheson, whom Ramsay had sacked years prior.
Metro.co.uk has contacted Gordon Ramsay’s representatives for comment.
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