Gordon Ramsay’s REAL kitchen nightmare! Squatters who have taken over his £13million London pub say they are turning it into a soup kitchen to feed the homeless
Squatters who have taken over Gordon Ramsay’s Regent’s Park pub say they are setting up a soup kitchen to feed the homeless.
Camden Art Cafe describes itself as an ‘autonomous’ establishment in North London that is ‘committed to providing free food and creating space for the community’. Six squatters are said to be involved.
Donors have delivered raw materials – including 10kg of potatoes – since the radical group moved into the York & Albany pub earlier this month while it was closed during negotiations to transfer the lease to new partners.
But locals who spoke to MailOnline this morning have criticized the activists, saying the occupation of Ramsay’s pub – which is claimed not to break any law – amounts to ‘legalized theft’.
And Ramsay himself was said to be incandescent with anger and called the police in an attempt to have the squatters removed. But the police say they cannot intervene because it is a ‘civil matter’.
Gordon Ramsay’s pub, York & Albany, has been taken over by a radical activist group who say they are turning it into a soup kitchen
Ramsay is reportedly furious after the pub was taken over just a month after he allegedly closed it while renegotiating its lease
Squatters shared images of the pub’s interior, including dogs (left) and some of the food prepared (right) by the self-styled communal kitchen
Board games and a clothes rack were seen in another part of the pub, which was said to have closed a month ago
A chess set with wooden figures was set up in the rear area – with pots of water and crates of food in the background
Local postal worker Colin J told MailOnline that the occupation amounted to ‘legalized theft’
A sign on the outside of the building reads: ‘We welcome donations of food and clothing or anything else you no longer want or need so we can keep our freeshop running… Knock on our door or contact us on Instagram @camdenartcafe.’
Cardboard was placed on the windows to deter curious onlookers from looking in, and ‘legal notices’ have been posted stating that the pub is not subject to anti-squatting laws as it is not a residential building.
The group also claim that anyone who tries to remove them could be fined up to £5,000 and jailed for six months, with Ramsay allegedly breaking the law if he tries to enter his own pub.
The uninvited occupation of the building by Camden Art Cafe has sparked anger among locals – and Ramsay himself, who has reportedly sought police intervention.
Colin J, 56, who works for a nearby post office, told MailOnline: ‘What’s the point of working hard for a living and contributing to society if these types of people can break into your property and take it over?
‘It’s legalized theft. The government has failed hardworking people by failing to close loopholes that allow squatters to act with impunity.
“It just doesn’t seem right. They use the law for their own benefit. The law must work for hardworking people.’
The squatters are part of a collective group calling itself the Camden Art Cafe. They seem to have worked quickly: according to Camra’s WhatPub guidethe York & Albany only closed its doors last month.
Those behind the occupation created an Instagram account for their activities this month and started posting on April 10, when they announced they had opened “a new squatted community space in Camden.”
A second message, posted a day later, read: ‘First day of the cafe open! Come by every Tuesday and Thursday between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM. There will always be free coffee, soup and an impeccable atmosphere.’
It was signed with the hashtag #SquatTheLot – a common call in squatting communities to take possession of private property.
But two masked squatters, wearing black tracksuits and carrying backpacks, ran from reporters before they could be contacted for comment on Saturday.
An anonymous donor has left 10kg of new potatoes at the door of the three-storey pub next to London’s Regent’s Park. The squatters even moved in a cat.
Videos shared on the page showed soup being made, as well as a number of dogs running around inside.
Crutches, a life bag, tobacco, plugs, empty water bottles and a sleeping bag were seen inside.
A piece of paper signed by ‘The Occupiers’ and taped to the window read: ‘Please note that we occupy this property and there is at least one person occupying it at all times.
‘That any entry or attempt to enter these premises without our consent is therefore a criminal offense as any of us in physical possession opposes such entry without our consent.
“That if you try to enter by force or threaten violence, we will prosecute you. You could be jailed for up to six months and/or fined up to £5,000.
“That if you want to get us out, you have to file a claim for possession in the County Court or in the High Court.”
The squatters have put up a sign asking for donations so they can keep what they describe as a ‘free shop’ running
Crates of potatoes were left outside the building by donors who wanted to provide food to the squatters
Two masked squatters ran away from reporters on Saturday after being approached for comment
The inside of the York & Albany pub when it was still open, with its cozy seating and soft furnishings
But the pub is now a shadow of what it used to be, with squatters dragging the furniture around to their liking and leaving personal belongings on the floor.
Occupying someone’s non-residential property without their consent is not in itself a crime in Britain, although police can take action if crimes are subsequently committed, including damaging the property or stealing it.
Under government guidelines, squatters can apply to become the registered owner of a property if they have occupied it continuously for ten years, acted as an owner during that time and have not previously been given permission to live there.
Ramsay was reported by The sun to seek an eviction notice against the squatters, who moved in while he was renegotiating the terms of his lease.
A source said: ‘The pub was temporarily closed whilst finalizing a new lease and during this transfer period a gang of professional squatters somehow bypassed all security and CCTV and gained entry.
‘They have now moved into the building and are slowly taking over the property, leaving their c**p everywhere and brazenly telling the locals that this is now their home.
‘Some plopped down on the sofas, but others have taken over the beautiful bedrooms. God knows the damage and the dirt.”
Representatives for Ramsay declined to comment, saying the matter was “being handled legally.”
Those occupying the building declined to speak to a Sun reporter.
The Sun reported that a note on the door of the pub (pictured) indicates that they can stay there because it is a ‘non-residential building’
Photos show the group of ‘six professional squatters’ sleeping in the building, and they have even posted a sign on the door threatening legal action against anyone who comes near.
Film director and actor Gary Love is said to have bought the freehold of the derelict former coaching inn from the Crown Estate in 2007.
Ramsay then began leasing the property in 2009, turning it into a successful boutique hotel and gastropub restaurant, but later tried unsuccessfully to terminate the lease in early 2015.
The restaurant has had problems on TripAdvisor. Last week a scathing review appeared on the site, criticizing a small steak and ‘over-salted’ chips for £23.
The one-star review was titled ‘Gordon is not Heston’, referring to rival Heston Blumenthal.
The Mail On Sunday reported in 2020 that the pub had suffered losses totaling as much as £15 million since opening in 2008.
The data also shows that in just one year, to the end of August 2019, the establishment suffered losses of more than £550,000.
Police told MailOnline: ‘Police were notified on Wednesday, April 10, of squatters at a disused property in Parkway, Regent’s Park, NW1.
“This is a civil matter and that is why the police have not attended the property.”