Occupy Gordon Ramsay: How Squatters ‘Against Parasitic Projects’ Took Over the Celebrity Chef’s Vacant $16 Million Pub

Gordon Ramsay currently faces his own “Kitchen Nightmare,” after a group of squatters have “occupied” a vacant pub he has listed for £13 million. (Photo: Press Association via AP Images)

BBC reported on Saturday that a vacant pub owned by Gordon Ramsay currently up for sale in London’s Regent’s Park neighborhood has been “occupied” by squatters. The pub is listed for £13 million ($16.16 million)

According to The Independent, the squatters shared a legal warning citing their rights to occupy the vacant space, claiming it was a non-residential building and they were not violating any laws. The group intended to turn the space into a community art gallery.

“We are occupying the York and Albany Hotel in Camden as the collective Camden Art Cafe,” the squatters said in a statement shared by The Independent. “We aim 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.”

The Camden Council reported that HS2 is a high-speed railway from London to Birmingham, with a station ending in Euston. The project is meant to end in 2033 but was paused “due to inflationary pressure.”

The English Parliament published a report sent by the Camden Council citing that since the project’s inception and recent pause, “local residents have endured years of disruption and blight.” Homes were demolished, community spaces uprooted, and local businesses have lost more than their fair share of revenue, according to BBC.

It appears this, coupled with Europe’s cost-of-living crisis, made Ramsay’s vacant pub the epicenter of a gentrification battle.

“At a time when Camden market has been bought out by a billionaire and many longstanding local businesses are being evicted from their units, it’s even more important we band together in all the forms of resistance that we know and can,” the squatters said in the statement.

The group of squatters additionally expressed support for the people of Palestine.

The Ultimate ‘Kitchen Nightmare’ For Gordon Ramsay

The irony is not lost that Ramsay, a celebrity chef with a net worth of about $220 million according to Delish, rose to prominence over the show “Kitchen Nightmares.” In the show, Ramsay visits failing restaurants and lends his expertise to whip these blighted businesses back into shape.

Ramsay is also famous for his reality show “Hell’s Kitchen,” which has been running on Fox since 2005 and part of the show’s success stems from the celebrity chef’s intense personality and well-documented rants. Ramsay additionally launched “Hell’s Kitchen”-inspired restaurants throughout the U.S. and recently found himself in a bit of hot water.

In September, the Washingtonian reported allegations of a hostile work environment at the Hell’s Kitchen in Washington, D.C. Employees walked out claiming that management “segregated” Black customers in the “ghetto” side of the restaurant. The outlet reported that another employee claimed a manager called employees “incompetent bitches,” in addition to “throwing a ladder out the window.”

Given the fact that Ramsay’s paroxysmal behavior on “Hell’s Kitchen” is often lauded and enjoyed by viewers, these allegations may not be too surprising. Forbes reported that company culture is dictated by the “critical role” of leadership and that “leaders set the tone for both behavior and work ethics.”

Yet, Ramsay’s squatter-related snafu appears to be giving the star quite a bit of trouble. The New York Post reported a source close to Ramsay called it “an absolute nightmare scenario for poor Gordon.”

The source shared with the Post that there were allegedly a minimum of six squatters living inside the pub. The outlet reported that Ramsay claimed to have dialed local law enforcement to deal with the problem.

“God knows the damage and filth,” the source expressed to The Post.

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