In a scene out of a festive pantomime, artists and bohemians chased bailiffs out of an occupied London music venue yesterday as onlookers cheered them on.

Members of the Bohemians 4 Soho collective set up an eviction resistance party outside former 12 Bar Club on Denmark Street.

Around 30 men and women dressed in garish outfits played music and chanted: “Don’t let the music die” as bailiffs awaited to evict the group.

Thomas Magar, who had been involved since the start, told the Star that despite the funny costumes and their attempts to be nice, “we have to protect the building, the goal is to protect.

“We have been barricaded inside.”

Assuring locals that the protesters did not aim to cause any trouble with the authorities, Mr Magar added: “We were working inside, we had

a little jam and a little gathering.

“Basically all we want to do is to save and protect the building.”

Despite a larger group of black-clad bailiffs marching around the area from noon, there seemed to be a standoff between the two groups.

At one point three men tried to enter the building through the back door but were quickly rebuffed by activists who told them to “go home” and “you ain’t having it today.”

Some activists followed this victory with a true telling off of the bailiffs, berating them for “evicting the homeless” and “working for Babylon.”

Former assistant manager of 12 Bar Club Aniko Itro and Original African Indianz musician Ant Hatcher came down to the occupation to support the activists.

“If you don’t fight for something you are not going to have it,” said Mr Hatcher.

Mr Itro echoed the sentiment, arguing that the gentrification of Denmark Street is “destroying a community.

“They are destroying a big family that has been here for a long time and the worst thing is that people don’t seem to realise how important this is for London.”

Denmark Street has been earmarked for “regeneration” involving Crossrail and a swanky private development.