Squatters in one of Gordon Ramsay's London restaurants say they are staying, report says
Grace Dean/Business Insider | REUTERS
- Squatters occupying a Gordon Ramsay pub have said they've struck a deal to stay.
- "We've made a deal. With the owner, not Ramsay," they said, per The Telegraph.
- The pub is listed for sale for £13 million, which is around $16 million.
A group of squatters that took over a Gordon Ramsay pub in London's affluent Regent's Park area have said they are staying put, The Telegraph reported.
The squatters occupied the York & Albany gastro-pub last week, saying they aimed to create a "community space" with the building.
"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 group said.
Lawyers for Gordon Ramsay Holdings International Limited (GRHI) secured a court order for the possession of the property earlier this week.
But a set of the orders, which had been taped to the pub's door, were taken down on Saturday, with one of the squatters claiming they had "made a deal" with the owner.
"We've made a deal. With the owner, not Ramsay. We're still here, and we're going to carry on staying here. We're going to be security for him," they said, per The Telegraph.
The Grade II listed building has been part of a legal battle between Ramsay and film director Gary Love, who acquired the freehold in 2007.
Ramsay, a celebrity chef, restaurateur, and television presenter, had leased the pub from Love under a 25-year agreement.
However, attempts to terminate the lease in 2015 were unsuccessful.
The building is now up for sale for £13 million, or around $16 million.
London's Metropolitan Police department told Business Insider at the time the squatters moved in that it was "aware" of the situation and that it would "take action when appropriate."
Business Insider contacted Gordon Ramsay's team for comment.
It's not the first time that squatters have made headlines this year.
In New York City, a couple was unable to move into the $2 million home they purchased in Queens after a squatter refused to vacate the property.
The couple sued the squatter in an attempt to evict him, but he countersued for harassment.