SQUATTERS at Sandown's former Ocean Hotel have issued a 'no entry' warning to police and members of the public, after claiming a legal right to live there.
Notices have been placed on the outside of the building, advising that any attempt to enter the premises will lead to prosecution, with at least one of the squatters occupying the property at all times.
Squatting is when someone deliberately enters property without permission and lives there, or intends to live there. This is sometimes known as ‘adverse possession’.
Concerns were raised about the security of the building in November, after residents reported trespassers onsite.
Cllr Ian Ward, who represents Sandown South, said on Facebook last month the sale of the freehold had been completed, but quickly retracted his statement, apologising for the mix-up and confirming no sale had been completed.
"I'm embarrassed" — Ian Ward apologises for Ocean Hotel error (hotel NOT yet sold)
Citing the building’s history and its connections with Charles Darwin and Lewis Carroll, the occupiers have now pinned notices at the High Street entrance addressed to residents and the Hampshire Constabulary.
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