There was a rare moment of relief for neighbours on Putney High Street this week, as the long-occupied White Lion pub was finally repossessed by High Court bailiffs — ending months of noise, threats and disruption caused by squatters. The operation, which took place on Wednesday morning, was accompanied by police and appears to have gone smoothly. But for those next door, in the still-occupied Boilermaker bar, the chaos continues.
A High Court Writ of Possession, dated 18 June and now posted to the front of the White Lion, confirms that the building has been taken back under legal authority. A security firm is now in place to guard the site.
Neighbours say they witnessed police making at least one arrest during the operation. “The squatter who answered the door was apparently the same man caught on camera stealing roof tiles a few weeks ago,” said one resident. “We don’t know what’s happened to him since.”
While the repossession has brought welcome quiet, the process has exposed serious flaws in how these cases are handled — and frustrations are only growing, particularly around the neighbouring Boilermaker, where many of the White Lion squatters have now relocated.
“It’s a relief — but why did it take this long?”
“It was a great surprise to wake up and find they were actually doing something,” one resident told Putney.news. “The building was cleared by that evening, and we’ve had peace and quiet ever since. But it’s been six weeks of total hell to get here.”
They say the squatters were allowed to collect their belongings, and a waste clearance team was brought in to begin the clean-up. “But it’s going to be a much bigger job. The damage inside is serious.”
According to one representative, the scene inside the White Lion after repossession was “a disaster area,” with bags of rubbish, debris, and flies throughout the premises. Heaps of rubble had reportedly been dumped in the basement, and the entire roof — which was installed in 2004 at an estimated cost of £200,000 — had been stripped. Fireplaces and other historic features were also missing, raising alarm over the loss of protected elements in what is a Grade II listed building.
While the police were present at the eviction, neighbours say they’ve had no communication about what further action may be taken. Residents have been advised not to comment in detail for fear of prejudicing any potential legal proceedings. Others are now calling for firmer oversight of vulnerable heritage buildings and better coordination between authorities, especially in an area with long-term vacancies and weak enforcement routes.
Residents also tell us they’ve repeatedly contacted Wandsworth Council, the Noise and Nuisance Team, and the police over the past two months — but received little action. Even now, with the White Lion finally cleared, the neighbouring Boilermaker bar remains fully occupied.
Boilermaker writ still missing — as more squatters move in
Gordon D’Silva, the landlord of the upper floors of 12a Putney High Street (the Boilermaker site), confirmed to Putney.news that he is still waiting on a High Court writ of possession.
“We are awaiting the High Court order any day now,” he wrote. “Except now we have more squatters in the Boilermaker.”
Residents say they saw squatters carrying belongings directly from the White Lion into the Boilermaker on the day of the eviction. “The system is just ridiculous,” one neighbour said. “It cleared one building just to fill another.”
Police silent, despite evidence and pressure
Despite months of complaints, at least one formal witness statement, and photo evidence of suspected theft and criminal damage, the Metropolitan Police have not pursued a closure order. They have also not responded to repeated requests for comment from Putney.news.
In a previous letter to Inspector Steve Burke, landlord Gordon D’Silva had urged the police to reconsider their decision not to act. He argued that a Closure Order — which can be sought under antisocial behaviour legislation and enforced more rapidly — would have prevented this drawn-out and costly process.
“The police have an abundance of evidence,” he wrote. “Persistent nuisance and civic and criminal disorder requires a speedier response.”
Council says it cannot act — unless it owns the property
Residents have also grown increasingly angry with Wandsworth Council’s Noise and Nuisance Team, which they accuse of doing little despite dozens of formal complaints.
We followed up on claims that the team was ignoring dozens of requests from residents to investigate excessive noise and the team claimed it is effectively powerless to act because the buildings are not in council ownership — instead classifying the matter as a civil dispute.
“This is beyond frustrating,” said one neighbour. “They sent people out a couple of times. Then nothing. And now we find out they were never going to do anything unless it was a council building.”
A council spokesperson told Putney.news that any antisocial behaviour should be reported to 101, and that the landlords are “taking enforcement action and awaiting court dates.” A spokesperson told us: “The council received noise complaints from local residents and visited the properties. The Council have engaged with the Freeholder requesting further action to be taken in the interest of wider residents in the local area.”
“It shouldn’t be this hard to get help”
Now that the White Lion has been cleared, residents say they’re cautiously hopeful that the Boilermaker will follow — but remain disillusioned with the system.
“If you don’t own the building, no one helps you,” said one. “If you rent above it, tough luck. You have to live with the noise, the threats, the damage — and all you get is ‘wait for the court’.”
D’Silva agreed. “We could do with all the support we can get,” he told us. “Getting these stories out helps. But what we really need is a system that works.”
