A JUDGE today ordered squatters occupying a dilapidated York hotel to leave the building immediately and pay £2,000 in legal costs.

Judge Roger Ibbotson said a 50-strong group of activists who had made their home in the White Swan Hotel, Piccadilly, must leave.

Speaking at Harrogate County Court, Judge Ibbotson said the occupiers had failed to provide any reason why they should be allowed to remain in the £2 million York city centre property.

Graham Family Settled Estates Ltd, a London-based family company who own a £9 million UK property portfolio, can now take action to evict the squatters from the Piccadilly hotel.

Ken Curran, of Clifton, York, who represented the squatters in court, said he was "very disappointed" with the verdict. He hoped the occupants would leave peacefully.

He said: "I'm disappointed that English Law has yet again failed to rise to the needs of the community.

"I think people will be eventually made to leave, but I would rather have it go the other way. Some people will be prepared to make a stand. There are some very determined people."

Court action was prolonged after one of the squatters, Chris Hartley, claimed in court that he owned the property and had given permission for the activists to live there.

But Judge Ibbotson found no evidence to support this claim.

Solicitors acting for the Graham family submitted a claim for costs of more than £7,000 to the court, but the judge cut this to just £2,000.

He said: "It would be wrong to claim that this case has raised such matters of legal complexity that it is justified to claim figures of this kind."

The judge ordered the costs against Mr Curran, Mr Hartley, three other named individuals, and "persons unknown".

David Watson, a partner at Rollits Solicitors, said: "These are prestigious premises and the matter is of utmost importance to the claimant."

After the hearing Mr Curran said a meeting would be held later today among residents of the building.

Updated: 15:14 Monday, May 12, 2003