SQUATTERS took over Marco Pierre White’s former Leicester Square restaurant last week.
The Metropolitan Police has now reportedly secured the five-floor building and removed as many as 400 squatters.
Jeremy SelwynSquatters took over Marco Pierre White’s former Leicester Square restaurant last week[/caption]
GettyThe steak and pizza restaurant was opened by the TV chef, 62, in 2021[/caption]
Jeremy SelwynActivists moved into the abandoned site and padlocked the doors[/caption]
The steak and pizza restaurant was opened by the TV chef, 62, in 2021, but closed down earlier this year.
The manager of the Filipino fast-food restaurant next door told The Telegraph that up to 400 people had been living in the building.
Ellen Leyco, manager of Jollibee, said: “The council regularly visits us. When they were here last week I told them they need to look into Mr White’s because it is causing us some trouble.
“The council came back today and told me I was correct as they found 400 people there.
“They said they were occupying all the floors and they were illegal. Many are homeless and they are leaving a mess out the back.”
Activists allegedly moved into the abandoned site and padlocked the doors.
A spokesperson for Westminster City Council confirmed to The Sun that the premises “has now been secured by the Met Police”.
The Sun has also approached the Met and Mr White’s agency for comment.
It comes after Gordon Ramsay served legal papers to evict squatters from his multi-million pound pub.
The group of unruly squatters set up home in telly chef Gordon’s swanky £13million boozer.
The Camden Art Cafe took over the celebrity chef’s former York & Albany pub in north London last week in what they claimed was a legal occupation of the building.
The gang, said to be made up of at least six “professional squatters”, used Ramsay’s own kitchen appliances to barricade themselves in and glued shut the locks.
But they have now been served papers – forcing them to ‘”cancel” their soup kitchen they said they were running from the Camden eatery.
In a post on their Instagram profile, the masked activists claim they have been served with papers and have had to cancel their opening.
The statement reads: “Apologies to everyone who was going to come along today. Papers served, cafe cancelled!”
Squatting in a non-residential property is not a crime in England and Wales.
Jeremy SelwynA legal warning displayed at the restaurant by activists reiterating their squatters rights[/caption]
Andrew StyczynskiA pub owned by Gordon Ramsay was also taken over by squatters[/caption]
GettyGordon has now served papers to the gang who broke into his chic £13million boozer[/caption]
Andrew StyczynskiAn occupier sleeps amid the trash at the Ramsay’s pub in London[/caption]