Squatters rights explained as Gordon Ramsay’s £13million pub is overtaken

While Gordon Ramsay’s £13million pub is being overtaken, you might be wondering just how on earth it’s able to happen.

And it’s all because of the way squatters rights work in the UK.

At least six squatters are said to have taken over the York & Albany hotel and gastropub in London, the Sun reports.

Ramsay’s pub went up for sale at the end of last year for a guide price of £13million. But that’s turned into a bit of a nightmare as the group have shacked up in the property with the police unable to get involved.

According to the BBC, they want to use the space as a community art cafe.

At least six squatters are said to have taken over Gordon Ramsay's York & Albany hotel and gastropub in London. (PA)

The group taped up a notice outside signed by ‘The Occupiers’ as they gave a ‘legal warning’ to anyone trying to kick them out.

“Take notice that we occupy this property and at all times there is at least one person in occupation,” it reads.

“That any entry or attempt to enter into these premises without our permission is therefore a criminal offence as any one of us who is in physical possession is opposed to such entry without our permission.

"That if you attempt to enter by violence or by threatening violence we will prosecute you. You may receive a sentence of up to six months’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £5,000.

"That 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."

As the squatters have pointed out, the chef's pub isn’t a residential building and as PropertySolvers explains, squatting in an ‘unoccupied non-residential or commercial property’ is ‘not technically illegal’.

What a nightmare for Ramsay. (Stu Forster/Getty Images)

The group at Ramsay’s pub could face police action ‘if they have committed a criminal offence during the adverse possession process – such as vandalism’.

So essentially, they’d need to commit a crime for the police to be involved.

It’s understood the chef made an attempt to get rid of them earlier this week when he called the police on Wednesday, but was unable to have them removed.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: "Police were made aware of squatters at a disused property in Parkway, Regent’s Park, NW1 on Wednesday, 10 April.

"This is a civil matter and so police did not attend the property."

The letter from 'The Occupiers'. (PA)

Squatters rights typically come into play if they occupy a place for 10 years without a break.

If they act as the ‘owners’ of the place throughout that time and don’t get permission to live there, they make take ‘long-term legal possession’.

In 2007, film director Gary Love bought the freehold of the former nineteenth century coaching inn. He then leased it to Ramsay on a 25-year term with an annual rent at £640,000.

The TV chef unsuccessfully attempted to free himself from the lease in a legal battle at the High Court in 2015. The place went on sale at the end of 2023 with a £13million guide price.