Squatters leave Gordon Ramsay’s pub

A week after squatters moved into celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s York & Albany pub in London, they have all now left the building.

The squatters arrived at the Grade II-listed property, which is currently up for sale and valued at £13 million, on 13 April. In total, it was estimated six individuals were occupying the pub.

The pub was leased by Ramsay from film director and entrepreneur Gary Love for £640,000 on a 25 year term. Ramsay unsuccessfully tried to free himself from the lease in 2015.

Among the supporters of the squatters was the Camden Art Cafe, which criticised the wealth disparity of the Regent’s Park area, and the gentrification it has undergone: “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 York and Albany is an iconic building in Camden since its opening in the 1820s; it has withstood wars and bombs, and despite what the media says, it will withstand the potentially short but hopefully long stay we squatters have here,” an Instagram post from Camden Art Cafe added.

Camden Art Cafe was serving free food and drink from the pub.

However, it now seems that it was a short stay indeed.

On Thursday (18 April), lawyers for Gordon Ramsay Holdings International Limited secured a court order for the possession of the premises.

On Saturday (20 April), Love clarified that “neither I nor anyone from my team have had any contact with the occupiers/squatters of the building or anyone that represents them”. This statement followed claims from one squatter that they had “made a deal…with the owner, not Ramsay”.

According to the Evening Standard, at 5am yesterday (Monday 22 April), security staff arrived to change the locks, with it mentioned that the site would be monitored “24/7” from now on to prevent future incursions.