Gordon Ramsay's £13m London pub finally cleared of squatters after takeover

Squatters have finally vacated the premises of Gordon Ramsay's swanky £13m pub in London, according to a spokesperson for the famous chef. These individuals made their home at the York & Albany near Regent's Park in north London from April 13th, securing the building by boarding up the windows and exhibiting a "legal warning" as a defence for their occupancy.

On Monday morning around 5am, locksmiths and enforcement agents arrived at the establishment in an attempt to secure it by changing the locks, as per reports from the Evening Standard. The chef's representative confirmed that the squatters, who had transformed the venue into an "autonomous cafe" and an artistic hub, have all moved out now.

Some of these uninvited 'tenants' were seen leaving after attorneys representing Gordon Ramsay Holdings International Limited (GRHI) obtained a High Court order on Thursday, paving the way for repossession of the Grade-II listed establishment. The remaining occupants, however, tore down the court orders plastered on the pub's doors and claimed they had brokered a deal with the property's owner, intending to remain within the gastro pub and hotel.

Director Gary Love, who acquired freehold ownership of the property back in 2007, denied any such agreement in a statement issued on the same day. Members of the Anarchist Association London Branch and the Camden Art Cafe had previously joined forces with the squatters, distributing free food and drink to "the people of Camden who have been victims of gentrification and parasitic projects like HS2".

Speaking to PA news agency on Friday, a squatter said: "We're not bad people. I pay my taxes, I've got a job, I work in a pub." He further commented: "We just need a place to stay, that's it. We're trying to do a good thing here."

The pub was leased by Mr Love to celebrity chef Mr Ramsay for a 25-year term at an annual rent of £640,000. Gordon Ramsay, known for his show 'Kitchen Nightmares', lost a legal battle at the High Court in 2015 when he tried to extricate himself from the lease.

The property was put up for sale at the end of last year, carrying a guide price of £13 million.