Gordon Ramsay once said he doesn’t “run restaurants out of control” – but that’s apparently not the case at one of his London restaurants.
A swarm of squatters holed up inside the celebrity chef’s $16.1 million pub, using Ramsay’s own kitchen appliances to barricade themselves inside, according to a report.
Shocking photographs taken by The Sun show the ‘professional squatters’ holed up in the York & Albany pub, which the ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ host was set to sell to new partners in a multi-million deal of dollars.
A person was seen barefoot and slumped on a black leather sofa inside the restaurant, with their personal belongings and debris, including empty wine bottles, scattered on the floor.
What appears to be a dirty stuffed dog toy is discarded on the ground near the swanky bar that just months earlier had been adorned with fresh flowers and expensive cocktails.
Another disheveled-looking man – sporting two black eyes, a huge hoodie, flip-flops and duct tape wrapped around his knee – was also seen strolling outside the swanky pub.
“It’s an absolute nightmare scenario for poor Gordon,” a source told the British media outlet on Thursday.
“The pub was temporarily closed while it finalized a new lease, and during this handover period a gang of professional squatters bypassed security and CCTV and entered.
“They have now moved into the building and are slowly taking over the place, leaving their crap everywhere and brazenly telling residents that this is now their home.
“They’ve glued all the locks tight and are cooking up a storm in the kitchen, which is particularly infuriating for Gordon.”
The source said there were at least six “professional squatters” – five men and one woman – living inside the restaurant and adjoining rooms.
“God knows the damage and the dirt,” the source said.
Ramsay reportedly called the police to get an eviction notice, “but it turned out to be a nightmare.”
The squatters themselves have threatened legal action against anyone who tries to evict them.
Calling themselves “The Occupiers”, the group put a notice on the front door claiming they have the right to stay in the pub because “it is a non-residential building”.
“Please note that we occupy this property and that there is at least one person occupying this property at all times,” the notice reads.
“If you attempt to enter by violence or threat of violence, we will prosecute you… You could face a sentence of up to six months in prison and/or a fine of up to 5,000 £ ($6,200)
The situation left the notoriously foul-mouthed TV boss “breathless”.
“Unsurprisingly, a few choice words were said,” the source told The Sun.
A representative for Ramsay did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
The takeover of the restaurant is not the first time the York & Albany pub has proven to be a huge headache for Ransay.
The “Master Chef” star was involved in an unsuccessful legal battle to free himself from the lease in 2015, which left his family members at odds.
He was ordered to pay $797,000 in rent after his stepfather, Christopher Hutcherson, allegedly used a “ghostwriter” machine to sign Ramsay’s name on a legal document.
Hutcheson, 75, was managing director of Ramsay’s restaurant empire until his embezzlement habits were discovered in 2010.
The fraudulent stepfather spent six months in prison in 2017.
New York Post
