London squats facing eviction

[Gerrard Winstanley]

Another article in the London Evening Standard. 


Squatters quit Mayfair mews and Park Lane group told to go
Benedict Moore-Bridger
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23630538-details/Squatters+quit+Mayfair+mews+and+Park+Lane+group+told+to+go/article.do
28.01.09

A GROUP of artist squatters occupying two £15million properties in
Park Lane were today ordered to leave by a judge.

The decision came as a second group of squatters, the Da! Collective,
left Clarges Mews in Mayfair. They had lived there in part of a
£22.5million Grade II*-listed building since November.

Today's ruling at the Central London county court means the Park Lane
squatters must leave the adjoining properties they moved into shortly
after Christmas.

Lawyers for two firms, Weleta and Konzeo, which own the leaseholds
were granted an order to take back possession of the buildings by
Judge Marc Dight. Squatter Andreas Grant had told the judge there were
40 people at the squat, and asked: "Perhaps we could delay for a few
days so they could find alternative accommodation." Afterwards Mr
Grant, 36, from Stockholm, said: "My personal plans are not spending a
night in the cold."

Anna Cole, a 22-year-old caterer from New York, said she would stay
with a friend, but added: "Some people will probably try to put up a
fight."

The group's leader, John-Joe Murray, 24, whose stage name is Worrisome
Ankle Trout, said: "It is a beautiful building, but the actual
interior is very limited."

The Da! Collective were told to leave Clarges Mews after a court order
yesterday.






--- In diggers350 at yahoogroups.com, "richnfamous59" <rchisnall at ...> wrote:
>
> Guardian article:
> 
>
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/jan/28/mayfair-mansion-squatters-london
> 
> Squatters who took over a £22.5m grade II listed mansion in Mayfair
> will be evicted by bailiffs today, the owner's solicitor said.
> 
> A group calling itself the Temporary School of Thought moved into the
> building at the end of November after being ejected from another
> central London property in Upper Grosvenor Street.
> 
> The group's members describe themselves as artists and say they have
> been running workshops "of mutual learning, leftwing bias and free
> lectures".
> 
> Bailiffs will clear the building after Central London county court
> granted an order for immediate possession to the owners, Timekeeper
> Limited.
> 
> Their solicitor, Andrew Jeffrey, said: "We were granted a possession
> order forthwith, which means they [the squatters] were told by the
> judge they must leave the property."
> 
> The high court sheriff, a bailiff, will go to the property, which is
> two linked buildings - one in Charles Street and the other in Clarges
> Mews – to claim possession.
> 
> In a blog posted yesterday, one of the squatters, using the name
> luckyjim, said: "The judge then summed up, stating that the claimant
> had proved ownership of the building and would be granted possession
> forthwith.
> 
> "But he said he recognised we had not damaged the building - an
> accurate but generous statement since he's never been inside - and
> that he saw we'd made beneficial use of it."
> 
> Luckyjim said the group had been told to expect the bailiffs first
> thing in the morning, adding: "We had spent much of last night
> packing, but still have much to do. Moving house is never easy."
> 
> In a blog entry written prior to the hearing, he was philosophical
> about being moved on, writing: "By the end of today, I shall have no
> job, no house, and no money. But I feel fine."
>