“Don’t come bothering me with this subject”: an entrepreneur changes the locks and squats the former premises of the Banque de France in Roubaix

Six floors of apartments dating from the Belle Epoque, of exceptional architectural quality, with a circumference of 4,000 m2… Having set his eyes on the former premises of the Banque de France in Roubaix, entrepreneur Philippe Godet felt seized by the desire for possession – which he hastened to satisfy according to The voice of the North.

The city of Roubaix will not have seen this coming. In 2019, the latter had the French Public Establishment (EPF) buy the former Bank of France for 2.1 billion euros. It doesn’t take long for a rental candidate to come forward. In 2023, entrepreneur Philippe Godet signs a temporary 18-month lease with the town hall which allows his textile tattoo company Ötzibrod to take over the ground floor of the premises.

“Mr. Godet has had the locks changed and is not paying his rent”

At least that is the stated intention, because in the following year, the contractor had the locks changed, carried out development work without an urban planning declaration and moved into the building. On occasion, the person concerned even lends the premises to film crews, taking the rental price which should go to the city of Roubaix.

“The municipality of Roubaix has confirmed to the EPF that the occupant uses part of the building for residential purposes,” wrote EPF director Catherine Bardy to the mayor of Roubaix on February 14, 2024. “Mr. Godet does not pay the rent due, occupies the entire building, changed the locks of the building without prior authorization from the city”, lists the legal department of the city of Roubaix in a note addressed to the mayor’s office dating from April 19.

Since June 2024, Mr. Godet has been placed on notice by the city of Roubaix. Contacted by La Voix du Nord, the person responded in incisive terms: “I create jobs in Roubaix, don’t let anyone bother me with this kind of subject.”