The police have moved in to evict squatters from the iconic San Lorenzo restaurant which was once Princess Diana‘s favourite London eatery.
Squatters moved into the former restaurant in May with neighbours complaining that the area now stinks of marijuana and that ‘loud, banging’ music is affecting their businesses.
Located in affluent Knightsbridge, San Lorenzo was for decades one of the capital’s premier celebrity hangouts.
It’s fine Italian cuisine was enjoyed by celebrities including Madonna, Kate Moss and most famously Princess Diana who was regularly spotted enjoying a meal with William and Harry at the establishment.
However, after closing at the start of the pandemic, San Lorenzo was one of thousands of businesses that failed to reopen once lockdown restrictions were lifted.
Yesterday, the ordeal finally appeared to be coming to an end as police officers from the Met were pictured outside the restaurant
Princess Diana leaving San Lorenzo in 1994. Located in affluent Knightsbridge, San Lorenzo was for decades one of the capital’s premier celebrity hangouts
After closing at the start of the pandemic, San Lorenzo was one of thousands of businesses that failed to reopen once lockdown restrictions were lifted
Construction workers were spotted inside the former restaurant bordering up the windows and doors
In May, a group of 15 squatters who describe themselves as a ‘musicians collective’ moved into the property – which is just a stone throw away from Harrods.
Yesterday, the ordeal finally appeared to be coming to an end as police officers from the Met were pictured outside the restaurant. It has been claimed the officers – armed with riot shields – were seen ramming the door in order to enter the property.
After the police successfully entered the restaurant, construction workers were spotted entering the property to border up the windows and doors.
MailOnline have approached the Metropolitan Police for a comment.
The removal of the squatters will be welcomed by nearby residents and workers who claimed that the stench of marijuana and ‘loud, banging’ had ruined one of the country’s most exclusive streets.
Mark Byron, manager of a beauty clinic adjoining the San Lorenzo told MailOnline: ‘It’s heart-breaking to see how such a famous London landmark has been turned into a filthy squat.
‘We have clients from all over the world who pay a lot of money for our treatments and it’s putting them off from coming here because all you can smell is marijuana and the noise pollution is unbelievable.’
Miri, a specialist permanent makeup artist at the clinic, where treatments cost anything up to £5,000 added: ‘I like to put on relaxing music for my clients in the treatment room and all we can hear is booming noise. The windows are shaking and there’s people outside smoking marijuana, drinking beer and making a nuisance.
It has been claimed the officers – armed with riot shields – were seen ramming the door in order to enter the property
After the police successfully entered the restaurant, construction workers were spotted entering the property to border up the windows and doors
Famous faces: Sting and his wife Trudie leaving the restaurant (left) and right – Liz Hurley with Henry Dent Brocklehurst
Pierce Brosnan (left) and Pele (right) were also customers at the famed establishment
‘It’s awful and we don’t say anything to them because we’re too afraid. They also have a dog that’s the size of a horse.’
MailOnline spoke to the squatters in June. A man who refused to give his name but said that he was a ‘spokesperson’ for the squatters told MailOnline: ‘We saw that this building was empty and found an opening and have now made it our home.
‘We are all musicians and are actually looking after this building because it was in a really bad state. Squatters get a bad press, but I don’t understand why because we have carried out a lot of repairs, decorated it and made it look nice. What’s wrong with that?’
He added: ‘This is a very exclusive area and it’s hard to find an empty property like this around here. We are speaking with the owners of San Lorenzo because we would like to remain in the building and become its guardians. We are good people and are not causing a nuisance. Many of the locals actually like us.’
The restaurant was opened in 1963 by Mara Berni and her husband Lorenzo Berni, who started with only nine tables but rapidly grew the business as it started attracting glamorous diners.
Princess Diana used to call Mara her ‘Mother Confessor’ because she was such a trusted confidante and was said to have psychic skills.
The restaurant owner picked up on Diana’s unhappiness in her marriage to Prince Charles long before it became public and also famously told Madonna she was pregnant before the singer realised herself.
One of the alleged squatters spotted entering the property last month
A double bed and a widescreen TV set up inside the former San Lorenzo restaurant while the squatters lived there
Mara ran the restaurant with Lorenzo, until her death in 2012 aged 79. Their daughter, Marina, then took over.
Mara’s maternal granddaughter, Marella Berni hit back at the squatters, claiming that they had ‘insulted’ the legacy of her grandparents.
Fighting back the tears she told MailOnline: ‘These squatters are a disgrace and are telling lies. The building was not in disrepair because we were looking after it. It broke our hearts when we decided to close the restaurant but it’s still ours and it’s part of the memory and legacy of our family.
Under existing legislation, squatting is only a criminal offence if it involves a residential property which can result in immediate eviction, six months imprisonment and a fine of up to £5,000.
But squatting of commercial premises is not a criminal offence, meaning landlords have to pursue legal action that can be lengthy and costly.
