The squatters in occupation of two Park Lane mansions, worth a total of 30 million pounds, have proclaimed themselves the real “slumdog millionaires”.
The squatters in occupation of two Park Lane mansions, worth a total of 30 million pounds, have proclaimed themselves the real “slumdog millionaires”.
The 24-year-old spokesman for the squatters, who said that his name was Ian Naughton, revealed that more than 30 persons were living rent-free in the seven-storey mansion, which is standing side-by-side yards from Madonna’s swanky London pad.
He also revealed that his fellows hailed from different parts of the world, including South America.
According to him, squatting was a “lifestyle choice”, and that they had all “chosen” to give up jobs to spend their time being “creative”.
“We are just making a bit of art and being mellow,” the Sun quoted a 27-year-old jobless South African, who gave his name as Martin, as saying.
University dropout Naughton even ridiculed those British people who had been struggling to pay mortgages despite being hardworking.
“People who work nine to five work for someone else. Why would you want to do that?” he said.
He also mocked London’s homeless, saying: “They could just move into empty houses like us. We could have been here months and months before anyone realised — until The Sun told everyone.”
Even though the crusties had no running water, Naughton revealed that they took showers at posh nearby gyms they had joined.
The squatter, whose wallet was stuffed with cash, insisted that he and his companions could afford the high membership fees because they did not have to pay a hefty rent.
The mansions, complete with lifts, do have electricity — and the internet.
The layabouts swap info about squats on a dedicated website.
They got in three months ago through a basement door that they claim was left open.
The freehold to the mansions, formerly used as offices, belongs to the Duke of Westminster.
A spokesman for his company Grosvenor (Mayfair) Estate, said: “We have informed the leaseholder.”
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