Gordon Ramsay is ‘ramping up safety at £7million London mansion’
Gordon Ramsay is reportedly improving security at his £7million mansion to protect himself and his family, after his pub in London was targeted by squatters.
The swanky York & Albany pub in Regents Park had temporarily closed as the chef was planning to sign over a multi-million pound lease to new partners, and it was in that time the gang took over the property.
Following the scary incident, Gordon, 57, has hired a professional security firm to protect the house in the capital, with guards and dogs patrolling the property 24 hours a day while renovations are being carried out.
An insider told The Sun: ‘The only thing more important to Gordon than his business empire is his family, so he’s not sparing any expense to keep them safe.
‘Seeing the occupation of one of his premises spooked him, and he realised the same fate could befall his family home if he didn’t take extreme precautions.
Gordon Ramsay is reportedly improving security at his £7million mansion to protect himself and his family, after his pub in London was targeted by squatters
Following the scary incident, Gordon, 57, has hired a professional security firm to protect the house in the capital, with guards and dogs patrolling the property 24 hours a day while renovations are being carried out
‘Now he’s decided the security measures — no matter how costly — will stay in place after the refurbishment of the house.’
MailOnline has contacted Gordon’s representatives for comment.
It comes after it was reported last month that the squatters who took over Gordon’s pub in London last week have all left the building, a representative for the celebrity chef said.
The group shut themselves in the York & Albany near Regent’s Park, north London, on April 13 for ten days.
They boarded up the windows, locking the doors and putting up a ‘legal warning’ defending their takeover.
Locksmiths and bailiffs arrived at the property around 5am on Monday to change the locks and secure the venue, the Evening Standard reported.
A representative for Mr Ramsay said the squatters have now all left the building and after a £7,000 clean-up the building once again stands empty.
The inside of the celebrity chef’s multi-million pound business venture has been left empty but tidy with furniture left in place or moved to the side.
In the dining area, expensive chairs and tables have been pushed to the side as bare walls and harsh lighting enclose the space.
The bar area bears the scars of the squatter’s sit-in as squares of carboard are taped to windows, blocking out the light.
The reception area still has it’s PC and the dark wooden and stone furniture remain in place in the eerie, empty restaurant.
An insider told The Sun : ‘The only thing more important to Gordon than his business empire is his family, so he’s not sparing any expense to keep them safe.’
The famous chef shares the luxury pad with his wife Tana, 49, and their five children – Megan, 25 twins Jack and Holly, 23, Matilda, 21 and Oscar, four
Although very little remains behind the bar of the £13million property, nothing appears to have been smashed and the area looks as though it has been kept clean and tidy.
Clues of the 10-day-long incident can be seen in the form of broken bike locks and small piles of rubbish.
Very little remains of the squatters, who could have numbered up to 60.
Lawyers for Gordon Ramsay Holdings International Limited (GRHI) secured a High Court order for the possession of the premises on Thursday, and soon after squatters were seen leaving in pairs.
Lawyers for Gordon Ramsay Holdings International Limited (GRHI) secured a High Court order for the possession of the premises on Thursday, and soon after squatters were seen leaving in pairs.
But on Saturday, the squatters tore down court orders taped to the venue’s doors and vowed to remain inside the gastropub and hotel.
They said: ‘We’ve made a deal With the owner, not Ramsay.’
‘We’re still here, and we’re going to carry on staying here. We’re going to be security for him.’
Film director Gary Love, who purchased the freehold of the premises in 2007, denied the claims in a statement made on the same day.
Members of the Anarchist Association London Branch and the Camden Art Cafe had previously been with the squatters, handing out free food and drink to ‘the people of Camden who have been victims of gentrification and parasitic projects like HS2’.
A squatter previously said: ‘We’re not bad people. I pay my taxes, I’ve got a job, I work in a pub.’
He added: ‘We just need a place to stay, that’s it. We’re trying to do a good thing here.’
Squatters were refusing to leave Gordon Ramsay’s pub across from Regent’s Park despite a High Court order demanding their departure – they have now left
In 2007, Mr Love purchased the freehold of the premises, before leasing the pub to Ramsay on a 25-year term for an annual rent of £640,000.
The celebrity chef attempted to free himself from the lease in 2015 but was unsuccessful in the High Court.
The venue went on sale at the end of last year with a guide price of £13 million.
On Thursday, lawyers for GRHI were granted an order by Judge Simon Brown to retake the property.
Some of the squatters initially said they would comply with the ruling, leading to a steady stream of people leaving on Friday.
However, a number of those who left have since returned and it is unclear how many people remain inside the building.
Banners which had been draped from the balcony, reading ‘whatever they say, squatters will stay’ and ‘squat the lot’, have been removed by the occupants.
A man, who said he was a friend of one of the squatters, entered the York & Albany briefly on Friday and said afterwards those inside had no intention of leaving.
‘They’re going to wait for the bailiff. That’s basically what they’re going to end up doing.’
The group had been running an ‘autonomous cafe’ and arts space.
The friend, who would not give his name but said he is a former squatter himself, added that those inside the building were young, homeless and had been squatting in various locations for a long time.
