ABOUT 40 people were told to quit an empty site in one of London’s most expensive areas yesterday after having been given time to seek further legal advice.

Members of the Autonomous Nation of Anarchist Libertarians (Anal) had been occupying a historic office building at 16 Grosvenor Square in Mayfair.

Their first High Court hearing since property developer Quintain requested a possession order for the site was branded a victory for the squatters when they were given 24 hours to find a legal team.

But yesterday morning Mr Justice Henderson gave Quintain the right to retake the building, saying squatters had “no conceivable defence.”

Anal spokesman Jed Miller told the Star that the property developers “want us out as quick as possible and they are throwing money at the court.”

Mr Miller, who had been at the squat for a week, said he was “disappointed” with the judgment as the point of the occupation was to “highlight that empty buildings in central London are being taken over by these rich property developers.

“They are just sitting on them and leaving them empty whilst there are people dying on the streets of London.”

When Mr Miller requested to know the arrival time of Quintain’s bailiffs given some of Anal members anxiety problems, the judge replied: “The remedy is in your own hands.

“The best way to avoid unnecessary anxiety is to leave immediately.”

According to Mr Miller, the group will now “move on to the next place.”

Anal, which is a squatters’ group which welcomes homeless and vulnerable people with physical and mental issues, was also responsible for the occupation of a building in Pall Mall earlier this year.