Squatters plan to turn Gordon Ramsay’s York & Albany into community cafe

Squatters have taken over Gordon Ramsay’s York & Albany site near Regent’s Park in London

The pub, which is currently up for sale with a guide price of £13m, has been occupied by a group who claim to have a legal right to remain there.

A post on Instagram from a group calling itself Camden Art Café said that it was planning to “open our doors regularly to anyone and everyone, particularly the people of Camden who have been victims of gentrification and parasitic projects like HS2”.

It added: “Camden is a borough with one of the biggest wealth disparities in London, so it seems only fitting that £13 million properties that most locals would never be able to afford to visit should be opened up to all.

“The York and Albany is an iconic building in Camden since its opening in the 1820s; it has withstood wars and bombs, and despite what the media says, it will withstand the potentially short but hopefully long stay we squatters have here.”

It is believed that representatives of Gordon Ramsay called the police, who said the situation was a civil matter.

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.”