The famous Dogstar pub in Brixton was taken over by squatters just a few days after it closed last week after having trouble running since July, according to The Metro.Due to financial issues, Dogstar, an iconic hub in London's nightlife, a once-vibrant weekend-only establishment on Coldharbour Lane, permanently closed.
The squatters have posted a legal notice in the window, stating that they are within their legal rights to occupy commercial properties and that removal is only possible with a county court order.
"We occupy this property, and at all times there is at least one person at the location. Any entry or attempt into these premises without our permission is therefore a criminal offence," reads the notice, which was heavily misspelt.
According to The Metro, the bar was run by pub chain Antic, which was hit hard by the COVID pandemic, with locals reporting 'near-deserted dancefloors' after lockdowns.
This is despite the pub being considered a part of the epicentre of the 1981 Brixton riots while named the Atlantic and enjoying a strong reputation until 1994, when it closed. The pub even found itself targeted in the 1995 Brixton riot, which was sparked when a black 26-year-old Wayne Douglas died in police custody after allegedly robbing a couple in bed at knifepoint.
Dogstar is the latest in a long line of London venues that have been abandoned and then reopened, igniting debates about what will happen to the city's abandoned buildings.
According to the BBC, in April this year, world-famous chef Gordon Ramsay's pub, which was also taken over by the squatters, was reclaimed by the real owners. Lawyers for Mr Ramsay's company had to secure a High Court order for the premises.A representative for Mr Ramsay said the squatters had now all left the building, from which they had been running an "autonomous cafe" and arts space.
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