Gordon Ramsay has reportedly been left furious after one of his pubs in London was taken over by squatters.
The swanky York & Albany pub in Regents Park had temporarily closed as the chef was planning to sign over a multi-million pound lease to new partners, and it was in that time the gang took over the property.
Pictures obtained by The Sun show the group of ‘six professional squatters’ sleeping inside the building, and they have even placed a sign on the door threatening legal action against anyone who tries to force them out.
The publication reports that the group have used kitchen appliances to barricade themselves inside the pub, and have glued the locks shut.
It’s thought that Gordon contacted the police last week, but so far they have been unable to remove squatters from the property.
Gordon Ramsay has reportedly been left furious after one of his pubs in London was taken over by squatters
The York & Albany pub in Regents Park had temporarily closed as the chef was planning to sign over the lease to new partners, and it in this time the gang broke in (stock image)
A source said: ‘The pub was temporarily closed whilst he was finalising a new lease, and during this handover period a gang of professional squatters somehow bypassed all the security and CCTV, and got themselves in.
‘They’ve now boarded themselves in the building and are slowly taking over the place, leaving their c**p everywhere and brazenly telling locals this is now their home.
‘Some are crashing on sofas, but others have taken over the beautiful bedrooms. God knows the damage and filth.’
The insider added that Gordon has tried to secure an eviction notice since calling the police.
Pictures inside the pub show one squatter sleeping barefoot on a sofa, while another scrolled on their smartphone.
The pub and furniture were also littered with items including tobacco, plugs, empty water bottles and wine glasses.
One squatter refused to comment when approached by The Sun, and the publication reported that a note on the pub’s door insists they are able to stay there as it is a ‘non-residential building.’
The Met Police told MailOnline: ‘Police were made aware of squatters at a disused property in Parkway, Regent’s Park, NW1 on Wednesday, 10 April.
Pictures show the group of ‘six professional squatters’ sleeping inside the building, and they have even placed a sign on the door threatening legal action against anyone who approaches
It’s thought that Gordon contacted the police last week, but so far they have been unable to remove squatters from the property
‘This is a civil matter and so police did not attend the property.’
MailOnline has contacted a representative for Gordon Ramsay for further comment.
Gordon Ramsay lost a court battle in 2015 over his personal liability for the £640,000 rent on the business.
The chef’s own ‘kitchen nightmare’ stemmed from a bitter dispute with his estranged father-in-law Christopher Hutcheson, who was chief executive of his businesses until he was forced out in 2010.
Film director and actor Gary Love bought the freehold for the former coaching inn from the Crown Estate in 2007.
After Gordon purchased the lease he turned the space into a boutique hotel and restaurant.
However, the restaurant has had its troubles on TripAdvisor. Last week, a scathing review appeared on the site, criticising what it claimed was 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 racked up losses totalling a staggering £15 million since opening in 2008.
The records also reveal that the establishment made losses of more than £550,000 in just one year, to the end of August 2019.
