Star chef Gordon Ramsay is known for not being particularly conflict-averse. His choleric temper tantrums on cooking shows have made him world famous. Ultimately, however, the top British chef found himself faced with a conflict that he could shout at as much as he wanted. A gang of squatters had taken up residence in Ramsay’s posh York pub for days
Gordon Ramsay had actually just wanted to sell the property and hand over a lease for several million. The property was therefore recently unused. But nothing came of the deal at first, because the Camden Art Café collective, which also owned at least five men and one woman, had set up shop in the house on Regent’s Park. They glued the locks shut and used the expensive kitchen appliances to barricade them. The problem: Ramsay couldn’t simply throw out the uninvited guests. The occupiers took advantage of a loophole in British law. Even the police’s hands were tied.
Photos of the interior of the hotel showed that the “new residents” treated the 19th century house with anything but care. There was junk and trash scattered all over the place. They had gradually settled into the hotel rooms.
But the intruders didn’t just occupy the house. On Instagram they described their “project” as an autonomous “Camden Art Café”. “Our goal is to regularly open our doors to everyone, especially the people of Camden who have fallen victim to gentrification and parasitic projects. We offer free food, drinks and a space where they can display their art, without the ridiculous bureaucracy that galleries ask people to go through,” they explained the cast in a post.
Celebrity chef Ramsay is said to have informed the police a week and a half ago. But they were unable to get the squatters out of the house. In the UK it is not illegal to occupy property that is not used as a residential property. The occupiers also seemed to know this. They had put a note on the wall of the house announcing that they would take legal action against anyone who did anything against their occupation. The only way to get rid of them is through the regional court.
Said and done. Ramsay filed a lawsuit for eviction and was successful. The occupiers have now left the building. Sources: BBC, The Sun, The Independent, Instagram
