The building as it looks.now

IT wasn’t quite a siege – legal letters and the usual eviction proceedings were enough to force squatters out of the former Spaghetti House restaurant in Fitzrovia.

Notices have been pinned the door warning anybody from breaking into the corner building in Goodge Street.

The pasta favourite was once a thriving choice among the area’s array of eating out options, known for its cheery atmosphere and generous portions.

But it fell empty at the end of last year when the restaurant said it had struggled, like many others, with the tough market conditions.

This was the Spaghetti House’s first branch, opening in 1955 and it expanded to other sites including Marble Arch, Mayfair and Kensington High Road, the latter the scene of the famous robbery gone wrong in the 1970s which led to a six day stand off with police.

“Over the past few years, we have done everything in our power to navigate an increasingly challenging environment,” the restaurant said in December.

“A combination of sustained cost increases, the lasting effects of Covid-19, Brexit and ongoing global instability, has fundamentally reshaped the landscape for restaurants in central London.

“At the same time, rising costs of living have placed pressure on our customers, with changing lifestyles and reduced disposable income impacting how often people are able to dine out.”

But last month, a new version of Spaghetti House opened in Mayfair with the message: “We’re back! And we’ve missed you”, adding: “Today we begin a new chapter, under new management but still involving the family, we’re taking everything people loved about Spaghetti House and bringing it together with a refined, contemporary take.”

There was no announcement that it would be reopening in Goodge Street Squatters left behind speakers, 30 instant cameras, My Little Pony toys, and “black fake silk pyjamas” according to legal papers.