Gordon Ramsay has launched High Court proceedings after a group of squatters occupied his Grade-II listed gastropub in north London.
At least six “professional squatters” entered Ramsay’s York and Albany pub, on the edge of Regent’s Park, early last week.
They stated their intention is to use it as an arts venue and community cafe.
Ramsay called the police last Wednesday in a bid to have the squatters removed, but Met officers refused to attend due to the occupation being a “civil matter”.
High Court proceedings have now been filed by Gordon Ramsay Holdings International Limited, against “persons unknown”.
The court case has been filed under “trespass” and is a bid for “accelerated possession to reclaim control of the property.
The celebrity chef has hired top lawyers at Harbottle and Lewis to bring the High Court action.
After entering the pub, the squatters posted a notice to the pub’s window explaining that the building is not a “residential property” and therefore they say they are not breaching the law by squatting. The notice also threatens legal action against anyone who attempts to remove them.
In a statement released to Freedom News, the collective of squatters detailed their plans to rename the space as “Camden Art Cafe.”
“We aim to open our doors regularly to anyone and everyone,” the statement says, “especially the people of Camden who have been victims of gentrification and parasitic projects like HS2.”
They held their first event, a “Paint ‘n’ Chinwag” session on Monday with free food and coffee, with visitors invited to come and chat about “what Camden means to you”.
Ramsay has leased the York and Albany site from its freeholder, film director Gary Love, since 2007. The pub closed its doors in March 2024, and has been listed on the market with a guide price of £13 million.
A notice taped to a door said the group of squatters had a right to occupy the venue, which they said was not a “residential building” and was therefore not subject to 2012 legislation which bans squatting in a residential building.
Signed by “The Occupiers”, the notice said there was always “at least one person in occupation” and claimed any attempt to enter the premises without their permission was a criminal offense and could result in a prison sentence or fine.
“If you want to get us out you will have to issue a claim for possession in the county court or in the High Court,” the note added.
Occupation of a person’s non-residential property without their permission is not itself a crime in the UK, although police can take action if crimes are subsequently committed, including damaging the property.
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “This is a civil matter and so police did not attend the property.”
Government says that squatters can apply to become the registered owners of a guidance property if they have occupied it continuously for 10 years, acted as owners for the whole of that time and had not previously been given permission to live there by the owner.
