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Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published:19 December 2008

Pub where squatters were evicted

Police look on as pub squatters quit

BAILIFFS have evicted squatters who turned an empty Holloway pub into a late-night basement rave club.
The squatters, who are believed to have moved in a month ago, were ejected from Tufnells in Tufnell Park Road on Tuesday morning.
The pub has been closed since September when the Town Hall withdrew its licence after complaints of late-night travellers’ parties, drunken violence and “anarchy”.
Those in the pub were said to have left peacefully as police stood by to oversee the eviction. Squatters had put up notices in the pub window, quoting the law and warning: “We live in this property, it is our home and we intend to stay here.”
Bailiffs clearing the site on Wednesday said the pub was occupied by at least six people aged up to 50.
Tony Hoare, at the neighbouring Fiat garage, said: “They were there for a few weeks, having rave parties at night. There were lots of empty bottles. It was a mixture of weirdos and quite well-educated students.”
Another neighbour said: “They were being noisy every night, having parties. They were scruffy.”
A bailiff, who did not wish to be named, said: “They didn’t really trash it that bad. They took their mattresses with them when they left. It was all very peaceful.”
He added: “They put mattresses upstairs and turned the cellar into a club. One guy had a Buddha room with joss sticks and plants and a statue of Buddha.”

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