Millionaire Graham Wildin, 69, has been ordered by a High Court judge to demolish the Cinderford man cave following a long-running legal wrangle over the development
Graham Wildin inside the leisure center he has built in his own back garden (
Image: David Hedges (SWNS.com)
A millionaire has been ordered to destroy “Britain’s best man cave” within just three weeks after losing an appeal.
Accountant and businessman Graham Wildin, 69, had hoped he could save his huge sports and leisure complex that sprawls across his back garden.
But he recently lost an appeal against tax and VAT bills – which totalled around £300,000 – meaning his pride and joy will need to be torn up.
The complex, located just off the M5 in the Midlands, features a home cinema, tenpin bowling alley, casino, bar and squash court, BirminghamLive reports.
The millionaire had hoped winning the appeal could save his creation, which is called Altea in Meendhurst Road, Cinderford, just south of the Worcestershire border and Malvern.
The complex features a home cinema, tenpin bowling alley, casino, bar and squash court
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Image:
David Hedges (SWNS.com)
He claimed that the costs of building the man cave were tax-deductible because it was to be part of a holiday let business.
The millionaire claimed it would be made available to people who rented holiday accommodation or were paying members, as previously reported by Mirror Online.
But a tax tribunal has rejected Mr Wildin’s claim and found that his purpose was not to offer the facilities for outside use, but for his immediate family.
Mr Wildin has been ordered by a High Court judge to demolish the man cave by March 10 this year following a long-running legal wrangle over the development.
A millionaire has lost his latest court battle in a seven-year fight to avoid tearing down ‘Britain’s best man cave’
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Image:
SWNS.com)
If Mr Wildin does not comply by this date, he faces a prison sentence.
The appeal was Mr Wildin’s last hope of saving the luxurious building at his home.
Issues in the village came to light when Mr Wildin’s neighbors were outraged that he carried out the work on the man cave without obtaining the required planning permission in 2014.
In 2018, a High Court judge handed down an injunction.
This injunction initially gave Mr Wildin until the end of April 2020 to remove the 10,000sq/ft complex.
But the latest appeal led to a delay in the destruction of the building.
Now it has concluded against Mr Wildin, he has just weeks to comply with the order by knocking down his beloved man cave.
Pictures from Google Earth show it looking like a massive factory.
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