Squatters occupying The Bohemia pub in North Finchley issued with court summons

3:16pm Wednesday 30th October 2013 in News


By Chris Hewett

Since gaining access to the empty building in late September, the squatters have opened it up to the community

Eviction proceedings have been started against a group of squatters occupying The Bohemia pub in North Finchley.

The group was today issued with a summons to appear at Barnet County Court on Monday, where the legal process to have them removed is set to begin.

Administrators for the former pub Chantrey Velacott applied for the order, despite on-going talks with the pub’s owners Mitchells and Butlers and the property agent Colliers.

The Bohemia was closed suddenly in August when lease holders Gregarious Ltd failed to agree a renewal with Mitchells and Butlers.

Since gaining access to the empty building in late September, the squatters have opened it to the community, running workshops and events including yoga, salsa dancing and film nights.

Pete Phoenix, who represents the group, said he was surprised to receive the summons as talks with Mitchells and Butlers and representatives from Colliers had been “constructive”.

He said: “We have had a good working relationship with them and had been showing around some prospective tenants. This summons came out of the blue and we were a little taken aback.

“We had said we would leave at an agreed date if a new tenant was coming in to reopen the venue – the last thing we want to do is go to court.”

Mr Phoenix said he and members of the Bring Back The Bohemia campaign group had been working on a co-operative bid for the lease, thought to cost in the region of £80,000 a year.

He said: “We want to be getting on with progressing this project and finding a new tenant to reopen the building or put together our own bid.

“Lots of people have been using and enjoying the building since we came in and we’ve had lots of support. These court proceedings are a waste of time and money.”

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Comments (2)

10:37am Thu 31 Oct 13

bhattyclease

says…

barnet123 wrote:
Well if it’s been such a success as a community building, why don’t the squatters lease and pay market rent for the property? Then they can keep it open to the community and apply for funding from the variety of sources available to community groups/charities. I’ll tell you why they don’t, it’s because it’s a waste of time, they are a waste of time, they all look like stoned, drunk tramps who are cuddling each other because no one else will. Worzel Gummidge in the middle couldn’t even lift his arms to put his bottle down

Here, here!

But I must object to the second part of this comment! I must!

That is NOT Worzel Gummidge – it’s Mick Hucknall from Simply Red. (He tosses things around, if you know what I mean!)

Also, a point of note. Pete Phoenix says: This summons came out of the blue and we were a little take aback.

A little take aback? A little take aback?!! First of all, it should be ‘taken aback’. Unbelieveable! Secondly, I bet the owenrs were a lot ‘take(n) aback’ when they found that lot in there. Thirdly, even with ‘constructive talks’, is it that surprising that the owners of a building would go to these lengths to get them out of it? The squatters have been made to look like right mugs – they got mugged right off and they fell for the oldest trick in the book! Cup of tea, nicey, nicey, county courty!

[quote][p][bold]barnet123[/bold] wrote:
Well if it’s been such a success as a community building, why don’t the squatters lease and pay market rent for the property? Then they can keep it open to the community and apply for funding from the variety of sources available to community groups/charities. I’ll tell you why they don’t, it’s because it’s a waste of time, they are a waste of time, they all look like stoned, drunk tramps who are cuddling each other because no one else will. Worzel Gummidge in the middle couldn’t even lift his arms to put his bottle down[/p][/quote]Here, here!

But I must object to the second part of this comment! I must!

That is NOT Worzel Gummidge – it’s Mick Hucknall from Simply Red. (He tosses things around, if you know what I mean!)

Also, a point of note. Pete Phoenix says: This summons came out of the blue and we were a little take aback.

A little take aback? A little take aback?!! First of all, it should be ‘taken aback’. Unbelieveable! Secondly, I bet the owenrs were a lot ‘take(n) aback’ when they found that lot in there. Thirdly, even with ‘constructive talks’, is it that surprising that the owners of a building would go to these lengths to get them out of it? The squatters have been made to look like right mugs – they got mugged right off and they fell for the oldest trick in the book! Cup of tea, nicey, nicey, county courty!
bhattyclease

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