Anagor
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- Jun 26, 2014
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Was living there for about a month. Found this article yesterday:
http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Squatt...8919181-detail/story.html#fGXKOztFhq4wBcHF.01
Squatters have occupied a former Starbucks coffee shop on Park Street in Bristol
By Emma_Flanagan | Posted: March 14, 2016
Comments (6)
A band of squatters has moved into to a former Starbucks on Park Street.
According to residents the group were first spotted three or four weeks ago and have been occupying the business premised ever since.
But their presence has not been entirely welcomed by local residents and businesses.
Chloe Smart, who lives in a flat above the former coffee shop, said: "The smell is bad. They are always smoking.
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"I can't hear any noise from up here though.
"We had a problem with the rubbish. We have always put our rubbish outside the door and now the squatters have moved in and said they don't want it left there.
"But they did not take it to the curb they left all over our doorstep instead."
Staff at local businesses - who all wished to remain anonymous - said there had been times where the squatters had been a nuisance.
One shop worker said: "They can be noisy.
"We have had people coming in and asking about them.
"There was one day where one of them was all over the place outside. He had no shirt on, and no shoes. He must have been freezing.
"And he seemed like he was drunk or something.
"I don't know how many of them there are, but there seems to be a few and they have a number of dogs."
The Bristol Post attempted to speak to the occupiers of 78 Park Street.
They refused to come out, but they had a note taped to the inside of a window.
It reads: "LEGAL WARNING
"Take notice: That we live in this property. It is our home and we intend to stay.
"That any entry or attempt to enter into these premises without our permission is therefore a criminal offence.
"If you attempt to enter by violence, or by threatening violence, we will prosecute you."
But not every local business has noticed bad behaviour from the new residents.
One business owner, who works on the opposite side of the road, said: "There are a lot of them. There are all sorts of people, men, women, some dressed quite smartly in suits so I think they have jobs.
"There was a bit of mess when they first started moving in but that has settled down now.
"I have not noticed them being noisy, although maybe business on the same side as the road as them have.
"But that Starbucks has been empty for two years, because we looked at renting it at the time.
"I don't know why it has been empty for so long, but I am intrigued to know how the squatters managed to get inside."
The Bristol Post has contacted the building's owner for a comment.
What does the law say about squatting?
Squatting is when someone deliberately enters property without permission and lives there, or intends to live there. This is sometimes known as 'adverse possession'.
Anyone who originally enters a property with the permission of the landlord is not a squatter, eg if you're renting a property and fall behind with rent payments you're not squatting if you continue to live there.
Although squatting in non-residential building or land isn't in itself a crime, it's a crime to damage the property.
It's usually a crime not to leave land or property when you're instructed to do so by:
the owner
the police
the council
a repossession order
Squatting in residential buildings (like a house or flat) is illegal.
http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Squatt...8919181-detail/story.html#fGXKOztFhq4wBcHF.01
Squatters have occupied a former Starbucks coffee shop on Park Street in Bristol
By Emma_Flanagan | Posted: March 14, 2016
-
Squatters are occupying a former Starbucks on Park Street
Comments (6)
A band of squatters has moved into to a former Starbucks on Park Street.
According to residents the group were first spotted three or four weeks ago and have been occupying the business premised ever since.
But their presence has not been entirely welcomed by local residents and businesses.
Chloe Smart, who lives in a flat above the former coffee shop, said: "The smell is bad. They are always smoking.
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"I can't hear any noise from up here though.
"We had a problem with the rubbish. We have always put our rubbish outside the door and now the squatters have moved in and said they don't want it left there.
"But they did not take it to the curb they left all over our doorstep instead."
Staff at local businesses - who all wished to remain anonymous - said there had been times where the squatters had been a nuisance.
One shop worker said: "They can be noisy.
"We have had people coming in and asking about them.
"There was one day where one of them was all over the place outside. He had no shirt on, and no shoes. He must have been freezing.
"And he seemed like he was drunk or something.
"I don't know how many of them there are, but there seems to be a few and they have a number of dogs."
The Bristol Post attempted to speak to the occupiers of 78 Park Street.
They refused to come out, but they had a note taped to the inside of a window.
It reads: "LEGAL WARNING
"Take notice: That we live in this property. It is our home and we intend to stay.
"That any entry or attempt to enter into these premises without our permission is therefore a criminal offence.
"If you attempt to enter by violence, or by threatening violence, we will prosecute you."
But not every local business has noticed bad behaviour from the new residents.
One business owner, who works on the opposite side of the road, said: "There are a lot of them. There are all sorts of people, men, women, some dressed quite smartly in suits so I think they have jobs.
"There was a bit of mess when they first started moving in but that has settled down now.
"I have not noticed them being noisy, although maybe business on the same side as the road as them have.
"But that Starbucks has been empty for two years, because we looked at renting it at the time.
"I don't know why it has been empty for so long, but I am intrigued to know how the squatters managed to get inside."
The Bristol Post has contacted the building's owner for a comment.
What does the law say about squatting?
Squatting is when someone deliberately enters property without permission and lives there, or intends to live there. This is sometimes known as 'adverse possession'.
Anyone who originally enters a property with the permission of the landlord is not a squatter, eg if you're renting a property and fall behind with rent payments you're not squatting if you continue to live there.
Although squatting in non-residential building or land isn't in itself a crime, it's a crime to damage the property.
It's usually a crime not to leave land or property when you're instructed to do so by:
the owner
the police
the council
a repossession order
Squatting in residential buildings (like a house or flat) is illegal.
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