TIME is running out for a group of squatters living in a disused York pub, after the building's owners today won the right to evict them.

A possession order for the Gimcrack pub, in Fulford Road, was granted to PD Smith Holdings Ltd at York County Court.

The squatters had made a case to the court that they should be allowed to stay.

But Circuit Judge Graham Cliffe said: "There is clearly no defence. Whoever these people are they have no right to occupy these premises."

Craig Smith, PD Smith managing director, said he expected bailiffs to visit the Gimcrack "in a couple of days' time".

He said: "Obviously if the people in there had got permission from the building's owner there would be nothing wrong with it, but they didn't and what they are doing is illegal." Squatter Denis Pryce said he was not surprised with the verdict.

Mr Pryce, among a group of six squatters still at the Gimcrack, said: "We tried to make our case to the judge but I'm not surprised he hasn't paid any attention, we didn't expect him to.

"We've got to find somewhere else to go now. We have got our eyes on a couple of places in York." The squatters moved into the pub in late May after being evicted from the White Swan Hotel, in Piccadilly.

Updated: 12:09 Thursday, July 10, 2003