Squatters hold up Brighton restaurant plans

2:30pm Monday 7th January 2013 in News By Ben James

TGI Friday's has pulled out of plans to redevelop the old Post Office as squatters have moved in TGI Friday's has pulled out of plans to redevelop the old Post Office as squatters have moved in

A multi-national restaurant chain has shelved proposals for a new eatery – because squatters have taken over the planned site.

TGI Friday’s was set to have its licence decided on Friday (January 4) by Brighton and Hove City Council.

But the Texas-based company had to withdraw at the last minute as it could not access the Ship Street site.

The fire service asked developers for more details on safety procedures, but the company could not heed their calls because squatters are living in the Old Post Office site.

However, Walsingham Planning’s Mark Thackeray, who is acting on behalf of TGI Friday’s, said that they still hoped to open the new restaurant later in the year.

He said: “There were a few matters which needed clearing up but as I understand it we can’t access the building at the moment because of squatters.

“We’re still working on it and TGI Friday’s is still very keen to open in Brighton.”

Job creation

Blueprints submitted to the council show that the 250-seat restaurant would create 90 full-time and 60 part-time jobs.

The dining room would take up much of the ground floor of the Grade II listed property with a separate bar area also featuring.

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Last year when the plans were first put in, council bosses asked the company to provide more details on how it would protect the architectural and historical character of the building.

They also flagged up concerns around the intention to use the building for housing and asked the company to consider the upper floors for flats.

Built in 1925, the building was a post office until 2007. Since then it has been vacant apart from squatters.

Police powerless

New laws brought in last year made it illegal to squat in residential properties. However, commercial buildings are still within the law.

A Sussex Police spokesman said that they were powerless to evict the squatters but would help “keep the peace” if the owners decided to take action.

Alex Casper has not squatted in the building but knows people who have.

He said: “I’m sure they will complain about how we destroy buildings but what destroys buildings is the apathy and inconsiderate nature of developers who leave properties empty for years.”

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Comments(51)

Dealing with idiots says...
2:49pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Get TGI's to send the bill for wasted time to Jason Kitcat and his mottly crew. Could the Argus take some pics through the window to see how the squatters are restoring and caring for the building?

Please can we have out town back from the champagne Marxists. Email us now
greensoutnow@gmail.c
om

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Mr_Tom says...
3:06pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Alex Casper needs a reality check...
"I’m sure they will complain about how we destroy buildings but what destroys buildings is the apathy and inconsiderate nature of developers who leave properties empty for years."
that's fair enough but when you stop the new residents moving in you are just as bad..
I don't think these people realise how much of the population are disgusted by the way they act..
and I'm a very liberal person! but when I see 'squatters' using the term to mean 'party organisers there to destroy a property' I think it's pretty dreadful..
these people need to stop giving squatting a bad name..

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banargustrolls says...
3:36pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Good I hope the squatters stay there until the Post Office returns. As if we need further deterioration of the Laines from the likes of TGI Friday's... FFS Friday's more like..
And why on earth is there an apostrophe in their name anyway?

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voiceofthescoombe says...
3:38pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Fine squat in an unused building but when its going to be used again clear off.
Its been empty for 5 years you've had a good run clear off.

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Fairfax Sakes says...
3:40pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Those pesky kids....

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Thetruth666 says...
3:41pm Mon 7 Jan 13

How about the the people who will not be working because the building is unavailable?Ironic that people who have no intention of working have managed to stop so many others from working.The law needs to be changed to make this illegal but also to stop buildings being left empty for years.It's crazy that in a city as expensive to live in as Brighton that buildings are left empty.

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Gee Jay says...
3:51pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Some people just don;t deserve to be called 'citizens'.
They put nothing in to the community, but see it as their right to take everything THEY want out of it.
Benefits are taken, but paid for, and worked for, by the real citizens and businesses of the community.
New businesses opening mean jobs (although these freeloaders don't know what a day's work means).
What have we come to when anyone can decide to break into someone else's property, and the law is such that the police cannot force them to leave?
I fear for the future that appears to be facing the generations to come.

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juleshove says...
3:52pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Get the squatters out ! All they do is ruin buildings.

Shame its TGI's which is only one step up from very downmarket chains like Weatherspoons, which only encourage alcoholics.

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tooned_in says...
3:59pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Tragic for the city as the new owners would renovate a wonderful building to the standards the council set & bring employment to approx140 people!
When the local community suffers because of squatting thats when special tactics are needed and squatters should simply moved on.
Perhaps they may even like one of the vacancies in TGI's and go and rent somewhere like most people have to

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Hoarder12345444 says...
4:11pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Oh brilliant, thanks Squatters, now we have to look at these old dank building while you hole up and use the free space. There could be a TGI's that creates more jobs but nooooooooooooo got to squat, because you are soooo desperate. I absolutely despise squatters.

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Algeria Touchshriek says...
4:26pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Kitekat and the snot Greens.

Remember, they have more hate in them than the BNP, and the BNP are a pretty hateful lot.

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Thetruth666 says...
5:00pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Algeria Touchshriek, Couldn't agree more.

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vivelavive says...
5:04pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Thetruth666 wrote:
How about the the people who will not be working because the building is unavailable?Ironic that people who have no intention of working have managed to stop so many others from working.The law needs to be changed to make this illegal but also to stop buildings being left empty for years.It's crazy that in a city as expensive to live in as Brighton that buildings are left empty.
Spot on! The law is protecting deadbeats and allowing them to stick two fingers up at the rest us while they enjoy their alternative lifestyle and simultaneously standing in the way of over 100 people getting jobs!!
You couldn't make it up!!

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Brightonaldm says...
5:06pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Good. TGI Fridays are not welcome in the city. We're already saturated with big multinationals taking business away from independent, locally-run establishments. I'd rather see citizens who don't have a home to go to be able to sleep with a roof over their head, especially in the depth of winter.

Typical reactionary, tabloid nonsense from a paper that's no longer local and a readership comprised almost entirely of Thatcherite curtain twitchers.

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Somethingsarejustwrong says...
5:09pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Once again its the minority miscreants that spoil things for those who care and contribute.

Just awaiting comments from the usual morons and of course the green party's own village idiot, who as ever will attempt tp reason that its OK.

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moonster says...
5:17pm Mon 7 Jan 13

They don't own it so send in the police kick them out and tell them to do one. Bring on TGI's.

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kkj says...
5:21pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Algeria Touchshriek wrote:
Kitekat and the snot Greens.

Remember, they have more hate in them than the BNP, and the BNP are a pretty hateful lot.
You do appear to be rather hateful yourself.

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LargeAndInCharge says...
5:26pm Mon 7 Jan 13

It's actually quite easy to get rid of squatters. All you have to do is follow these three simple steps:
1) Open the door / letter box
2) Chuck a bar of soap in there
3) Watch the vermin run.
Job done!!!

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Somethingsarejustwrong says...
6:18pm Mon 7 Jan 13

LargeAndInCharge wrote:
It's actually quite easy to get rid of squatters. All you have to do is follow these three simple steps:
1) Open the door / letter box
2) Chuck a bar of soap in there
3) Watch the vermin run.
Job done!!!
How true, soap can usually be relied on to get rid of scum

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NickBrt says...
6:51pm Mon 7 Jan 13

No doubt Jason, Caroline, Philomena and all the rest will be thrilled by this. their lovely squatters having a building all to themselves whereas TGI would at least have paid some business rates.

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stir up says...
6:52pm Mon 7 Jan 13

If only we had a law so that we could send them to Rockall off the coast of Scotland and just drop in basic supplies. Transportation to Australia is no longer possible but this would do the job.
There will be several trying to defend their actions but they really have no defence, let the people who think this is OK invite them into their own homes and let them have free rein then see how they like it.

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Idontbelieveit1948 says...
7:20pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Brightonaldm wrote:
Good. TGI Fridays are not welcome in the city. We're already saturated with big multinationals taking business away from independent, locally-run establishments. I'd rather see citizens who don't have a home to go to be able to sleep with a roof over their head, especially in the depth of winter.

Typical reactionary, tabloid nonsense from a paper that's no longer local and a readership comprised almost entirely of Thatcherite curtain twitchers.
You are so dumb you could be Caroline in disguise.

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Living in the real world. says...
10:13pm Mon 7 Jan 13

As a senior resident in Brighton who's life has been made hell by nearby squatters in the past I simply can't believe that we haven't changed he law to include commercial premises.

These are awful and selfish people and they need to be shown the door and told that if they try to come back they will be arrested.

I sometimes think the world's gone mad when I read stories like this.

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imnotpc says...
11:18pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Can't they just send in a few really nasty people with baseball bats to give them a really good beating? I'm sure the scum would think twice about doing it again.On the plus side it would give decent people some excellent entertainment to watch it happen lol

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Thoushillnotjudge says...
1:34am Tue 8 Jan 13

Nothing new! If your in the majority in life your doomed! In the minority your treated like a king! end of

Report this post »

Thoushillnotjudge says...
1:36am Tue 8 Jan 13

Alex Casper needs to get a job and stop freeloading off the rest of the world! Yet our incompetent leaders allow people like this to get their own way. Pathetic this country is beyond control or help!

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Thoushillnotjudge says...
1:39am Tue 8 Jan 13

Quick question so why do I and everyone else have to pay council tax? Yet these people are allowed to freeload off all of us? Is that a fair world? No just freeloaders taking advantage of laspes in the laws of the country we live in. Down to the incompetents the run this country we have to roll with it! Pathetic!

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Poccypoc says...
4:01am Tue 8 Jan 13

Get these thugs and scroungers out of there ASAP! I pay my mortgage, my bills - why should these long-haired layabouts get something for nothing? No reason at all, so get them outta there!

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willy harris says...
5:34am Tue 8 Jan 13

how about asking mister hootstratan to help ,he knows how to get scroungers out,,or get the fire brigade to put hoses in the top windows full blast for an hour or two,,might see the rats leaving,plus the mice like creatures,

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ShorehamBeachcomber says...
8:11am Tue 8 Jan 13

juleshove wrote:
Get the squatters out ! All they do is ruin buildings.

Shame its TGI's which is only one step up from very downmarket chains like Weatherspoons, which only encourage alcoholics.
As you cannot spell the name of the company you decide to quote you illustrate your ignorance immediately & then reinforce this with a pathetic stereotype, I wonder if you have ever seen the posh grannies sipping tea on the nearest one to this site which has been extensively. & expensively fitted out?

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Siboloy says...
8:57am Tue 8 Jan 13

Surely these squatters have been there for months, they were certainly in there back in May. Is there more to this and the squatters are being used to divert attention from the real reason the TGI deal fell through.

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inadaptado says...
10:18am Tue 8 Jan 13

Siboloy wrote:
Surely these squatters have been there for months, they were certainly in there back in May. Is there more to this and the squatters are being used to divert attention from the real reason the TGI deal fell through.
My thoughts exactly. This all reeks of excuse. And a good one, they only needed to yell 'squatters!' and nobody will talk about anything else.

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Joshiman says...
10:26am Tue 8 Jan 13

Get rid.Council what are you doing?.What are you about?What is your policy re squatters/travellers
/tentewrs/campers?.W
e want Brighton back.

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Weirdorama says...
11:31am Tue 8 Jan 13

Joshiman wrote:
Get rid.Council what are you doing?.What are you about?What is your policy re squatters/travellers

/tentewrs/campers?.W

e want Brighton back.
Blimey don't rely on the Greens to do anything about them, you're more likely to see Jason Kitkat handing them bowls of couscous than evict them.

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Seagulls2 says...
12:02pm Tue 8 Jan 13

banargustrolls wrote:
Good I hope the squatters stay there until the Post Office returns. As if we need further deterioration of the Laines from the likes of TGI Friday's... FFS Friday's more like..
And why on earth is there an apostrophe in their name anyway?
Looking on line the apostrophe is sometimes there and sometimes not - though probably this is a lack of subediting by the Argus. MORE IMPORTANTLY please use the proper term for this area of Brighton - The Lanes. The area north of Jubilee Street is The North Laine ( singular). You're not guilty of this - but I get increasingly frustrated by the use of "The south Lanes" there is no such place!

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Therapist says...
12:35pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Brightonaldm

"Thatcherite curtain twitchers."

Mr Nail, this is Mr Head. Pleased to meet you.

Heheh, I'm keeping that one, thanks.

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ThinkBrighton says...
1:09pm Tue 8 Jan 13

squatters - they steal gas and electricity,
rip out and sell anything of value in the property,ruin the property with graffiti and before they leavemark the property mark it with urine like sewer rats. But they still stay the Greens most supported friends
Its about time the majority of the tax paying people of Brighton did something and Vote the greens out at the next election

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baron Von Skidmark says...
1:35pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Mmmm not sure what is more of a stain on my beloved Brighton America's answer to a Harvester or thieving stinky, parasites. - People power comrades...let us re-take our once beautiful city ...!

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s_james says...
3:28pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Classic Argus comments, hilarious reading as always

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Number Six says...
5:06pm Tue 8 Jan 13

baron Von Skidmark wrote:
Mmmm not sure what is more of a stain on my beloved Brighton America's answer to a Harvester or thieving stinky, parasites. - People power comrades...let us re-take our once beautiful city ...!
I would have thought being the major place in the UK for drug deaths would be a much bigger stain, or the two guys who were beaten up for being gay. A restaurant doesn't seem to come close. Then again, I'm not a snob, I have no problem with Harvester per se. Apart from Katerina, which is crap

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passthebook says...
5:21pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Wasn't there an article on here somewhere last year about asbestos being broken up by the squatters in this building.
Can the squatters sue the owners if they become ill down the track?

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Falmer Wizard says...
5:46pm Tue 8 Jan 13

When did trespassing become legal? there are any number of offices empty at present, if the Council show they are supporting those who occupy then we are going to become over run,What a state Brighton is becoming.

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sussexguy says...
5:51pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Like Brighton needs yet another restaurant! Most European towns and cities have a daily market, often located in an attractive building. What does Brighton get? A dreary miserable excuse for a market, held once a week in boring Churchill Square. The old post office in Ship Street would be an ideal location for a daily market, providing the situation with deliveries could be sorted out.

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passthebook says...
7:24pm Tue 8 Jan 13

TGI sucks so good riddance anyway.

They have obviously left the project because the listed building is too expensive and difficult to restore, their plans have already been rejected for not being sympathetic to the buildings original character and probably too controversial and troublesome to pursue.

Probably purely the argus blaming the squatters just to stir up trouble.

Still, the squatters should not be allowed to destroy this lovely building. It's a disgrace that any effort to restore and maintain it are made so difficult but destroying it so easy, and apparently legal. What a crazy world.

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passthebook says...
7:30pm Tue 8 Jan 13

hmm that's odd

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Somethingsarejustwrong says...
8:04pm Tue 8 Jan 13

passthebook wrote:
hmm that's odd
Not as odd as you, having two versions of a very similar post and then making them both and then reflecting afterwards in this way. Are you taking illegal substances perhaps?

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imnotpc says...
8:12pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Thoushillnotjudge wrote:
Nothing new! If your in the majority in life your doomed! In the minority your treated like a king! end of
yes your right.Why is it we in this country seem to do everything the wrong way round? Other countries must laugh at the way we carry on here.Be nice to look after the majority for a change which after all is the right thing to do

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Farouche says...
8:12pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Arrest all the squatters and put them in prison.

Report this post »

passthebook says...
8:15pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Somethingsarejustwro
ng wrote:
passthebook wrote:
hmm that's odd
Not as odd as you, having two versions of a very similar post and then making them both and then reflecting afterwards in this way. Are you taking illegal substances perhaps?
maybe I am, or maybe I should? accidental slip but thought I'd caught it before it went ahead and made me look a bit, odd.

Report this post »

Somethingsarejustwrong says...
9:24pm Tue 8 Jan 13

passthebook wrote:
Somethingsarejustwro

ng wrote:
passthebook wrote:
hmm that's odd
Not as odd as you, having two versions of a very similar post and then making them both and then reflecting afterwards in this way. Are you taking illegal substances perhaps?
maybe I am, or maybe I should? accidental slip but thought I'd caught it before it went ahead and made me look a bit, odd.
Caught which? Now I am really confused.

Report this post »

gheese77 says...
10:44pm Tue 8 Jan 13

moonster wrote:
They don't own it so send in the police kick them out and tell them to do one. Bring on TGI's.
Have you ever been to a TGI Friday's ? I'd rather eat dog dirt

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