Millionaire's 'biggest man cave in UK' with cinema and casino finally demolished
The UK's "biggest man cave" is finally being torn down after a long running battle over the "eyesore" built more than ten years ago.
Millionaire Graham Wildin, 70, has continuously defied court orders to knock down his illegal 10,000sq/ft leisure complex - and has even served jail time over it. The row has been ongoing since 2014 when he built the man cave with a bowling alley, casino and a cinema at the back of his home - without planning permission.
Wildin, of Cinderford, Gloucestershire, was even locked up for failing to comply with a court order to decommission the building and has lost a string of other court cases. The Forest of Dean District Council confirmed earlier this year it would be torn down. And last week work began to pull it apart.
The pensioner repeatedly ignored warnings and orders
His first of five court defeats came in September 2018 when a High Court injunction was handed down initially giving him until the end of April 2020 to remove the building. He failed to comply with the injunction and was given a suspended sentence in June 2021.
He then lost an appeal against the sentence at the Court of Appeal that November and he was ordered to demolish the complex by March 10 2022. But when Wildin's defiance continued, the six-week suspended sentence for contempt of court was activated on August 13 2022.
Once released from HMP Cardiff, he was given 18 weeks to "soft strip" the interior of the building to make it unusable. That deadline expired in January 2023 and last year was his FIFTH court defeat as his sentence was upheld and he was ordered to pay £9,962 in costs to the district council - despite claiming he had now sold it all for just £1.
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It was reported in September 2023 he had been issued an interim injunction to stop him harassing neighbours with parking and CCTV. Wildin's neighbours alleged he is taking his frustration with the council out on them by clogging up the street's parking spaces with his fleet of classic cars. He appealed, and in December it was said he was given a final injunction - allowing him to only park two cars on the road plus provision for two visitors, who can only stay for a maximum of eight hours.
The judge also ordered that Mr Wildin cannot keep the CCTV surveillance cameras on the exterior of any vehicle nor on any extendable pole. But in March this year it was reported the six-bed home near the 'man cave' - thought to be owned by his family, was to become a holiday let.
A temporary go-ahead has been given for it to be used as such - despite locals worries over noise, cars and "noisy revellers". A Forest of Dean District Council spokesperson said: "As a council it is our duty to ensure that planning and development proposals comply with the law and bring benefit to the local area, whilst also safeguarding the community.
An aerial view of what the building looked like
"Hundreds of people every year follow the correct process for planning applications and development, sadly this has not been the case at this location. It is important to note that the cost of this process should not be borne by the taxpayer, and we will look to recover the full cost of the demolition from the landowner in due course.
"We will work closely with our demolition contractor, to limit any disruption for residents. 'We would like to also take this opportunity to thank the people living in close proximity to this property for their patience during this lengthy legal process.""