NEIGHBOURS shared chilli and mashed potato with a group of squatters at a community meal in East Oxford.

About 25 neighbours and passers-by dropped into the event on Saturday.

Five squatters moved into 55 Randolph Street last weekend, claiming they wanted to ‘take back the space’ for the community.

The unit, formerly a fishing tackle shop, had been empty for at least a year. The group said they wanted to change the image of squatters by starting a ‘pleb’s university’.

Group member Steve Durruti, 27, said: “I think the community are just glad the space is being used for something positive.

“We visited people along the street to explain what we are hoping to do here.

“People were lovely and seemed to be really interested.”

Police visited the building last weekend after being called by a neighbour.

The group was not found to have acted illegally and police say no further action will be taken by them.

The group host workshops and debates, and plan to install a library and run a swap-shop. So far they have have run Latin, French, Italian and Spanish lessons, have hosted a debate on feminism, and taught Kung Fu and rock climbing skills.

Mr Durruti said the owner of the building was aware that the group had moved in and had sent some representatives to ask them to leave, but they had no immediate plans to do so.

He said: “It’s a shame – we were hoping to come to an agreement where we could be looking after it.”