A millionaire granda who created the ‘best mancave in the UK’ has been forced demolish it within three weeks after losing an appeal.
Graham Wildin, who is an accountant and businessman, lost an appeal worth nearly £300,000 in tax and VAT debt.
The 69-year-old had dreamed of keeping his huge sports and leisure complex, which features a home cinema, tenpin bowling alley, casino, bar and squash court.
However, because he has been unsuccessful in his bid to overturn bills, the luxurious and state-of-the art complex must be destroyed.
The pensioner claimed that the costs of building the man cave at the back of his home were tax deductible because it was to be part of a holiday let business.
Millionaire Wildin claimed it would be made available to people who rented holiday accommodation or were paying members.
However, 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.
The millionaire, from Meendhurst Road, Cinderford, 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.
If Mr Wildin does not comply by this date, he faces a prison sentence, report Birmingham Live. The appeal was Mr Wildin’s last hope of saving the luxurious building at his home, off the M5 in the Midlands.
Issues in the village came to light when Mr Wildin’s neighbours were outraged that he carried out the work on the man cave without obtaining 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.
However, 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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