Squatters cry foul as homeless try to get into footballers’ hotel
A GROUP of squatters who broke into a hotel which is being renovated by ex-footballers Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs are furious after others tried to do the same.
More than 40 set up camp in the Grade II-listed building in the heart of Manchester city centre.
But when others tried to gain access to the building the first group called the police. After officers failed to arrest the perpetrators they condemned the police, saying their response to the attempted break-in had been inadequate.
On their Facebook page, the selfstyled Manchester Angels, led by convicted criminal Wesley Hall said: ‘After several 999 calls, it took police four hours to respond to an attack on the building where troublemakers were trying to get inside.
The police didn’t do anything but hurl patronising abuse.’
The group even went on to say the building’s doors should be secured to prevent any more break-ins.
Neville and Giggs bought the former stock exchange in Manchester for £1.5million and have got planning permission to reopen it as a 35-room hotel. The group squatted there at the weekend after being evicted from a squat in an office building.
They expected to be thrown out, but were stunned when the former footballers said they could stay until February, as long as they did not damage the building.
Last night Mr Hall, who in 2010 was jailed for more than two years for threatening a man with a knife and assaulting his girlfriend, revealed that Neville had even agreed to install showers for the squatters – and arranged for hot meals to be cooked for them over the winter.
Police defended their response to the attempted break-in, insisting they had attended the scene as soon as the 999 calls were made.