A millionaire ordered to pull down ‘Britain’s best man cave’ has told his neighbors he would rather go to prison than take a wrecking ball to the complex – as he caused ‘parking chaos’ by moving his classic car collection onto the street.
Graham Wildin, 69, has faced a lengthy legal battle over the 10,000sq/ft leisure building built at the back of his home in 2014.
Having not gained planning permission for the construction, he was told the gray structure with a cinema, squash court and a bowling alley was illegal and that he must destroy it.
A final deadline for it to go before he faces a possible jail sentence passed yesterday – but there is no sign of it being pulled down.
Now neighbors of the accountant in Cinderford, Forest of Dean have accused him of going to war with them by using his classic car collection to create ‘parking chaos’ outside.
Several pricey vehicles including a blue Bentley with a personalized number plate, a Rolls Royce and a Range Rover are parked on the street next to the sprawling home called Paradise. Some of the cars, including a vintage Jensen interceptor and Porsche, are covered with gray tarpaulins.
A notice pinned to some of the cars states that they are taxed and insured and warns they are being watched by CCTV cameras.
Residents believe he wants them to complain to the Forest of Dean District Council. They say he thinks it would force officials to backtrack on their order to remove the buildings erected in 2014 without planning permission.
Graham Wildin, 69, has told his neighbors he would rather go to prison than take a wrecking ball to a complex at the back of him Forest of Dean home – dubbed ‘Britain’s best man cave’ – as he caused ‘parking chaos’ by moving his classic car collection onto the street
Neighbors of the accountant in Cinderford, Forest of Dean have accused him of going to war with them by using his classic car collection to create ‘parking chaos’
Graham Wildin, 69, pictured above, built a £200,000 ‘man cave’ at his Gloucestershire home but was ordered to tear it down by March 10 because he did not have planning permission
Mr Wildin has been told the 10,000 sq ft ‘man cave’ complex with a cinema, squash court and a bowling alley is illegal and he must destroy it. It was built just over eight years ago
Several pricey vehicles including a blue Bentley with a personalized number plate, a Rolls Royce and a Range Rover are parked on the street outside the sprawling home called Paradise
Residents believe he wants them to complain to the Forest of Dean District Council. They say he thinks it would force officials to backtrack on their order to remove the buildings erected in 2014 without planning permission
Several neighbors say Mr Wildin’s cars take up too many spaces and are making it difficult for them to use their own drives. But they fear nothing can be done to stop him because parking outside is not illegal
A notice pinned to some of the cars states that they are taxed and insured and warns they are being watched by CCTV cameras.
Residents believe he wants them to complain to the Forest of Dean District Council.
They say he thinks it would force officials to backtrack on their order to remove the buildings erected in 2014 without planning permission.
One neighbor told MailOnline: ‘I spoke to him and he said he will never pull it down. He said it is here to stay, and he will rather go to prison.
‘He is a very stubborn and selfish man and has few friends around here.’
Another added: ‘He does not give a jot about his neighbors and the description of neighbor from hell is very correct.
‘If you try and talk to him he is not interested. He is totally obnoxious and has got worse since his partner left him last year.
‘You can tell how arrogant he is by that very fact that he has defied all the court orders.’
Several neighbors say Mr Wildin’s cars take up too many spaces and are making it difficult for them to use their own drives. But they fear nothing can be done to stop him because parking outside is not illegal.
One neighbor told MailOnline: ‘He does not give a jot about his neighbors and the description of neighbor from hell is very correct. If you try and talk to him he is not interested’
Others, including a vintage Jensen interceptor and Porsche, are covered with gray tarpaulins
A notice pinned to the cars states that they are taxed and warns they are being watched by CCTV cameras
Several neighbors say Mr Wildin’s cars take up too many spaces and are making it difficult for them to use their own drives. But they fear nothing can be done to stop him because parking outside is not illegal
Neighbor Chris Briginshaw says one elderly neighbor found one of Mr Wildin’s cars parked across her driveway.
Chris says he complained and says a week a classic vehicle had been parked across his driveway in the middle of the night.
Mr Briginshaw said: ‘People are getting very upset about it all.
‘I told him he was being unreasonable and anti-social but apparently that’s not a problem because he has lived here longer than anyone else so he can do what he wants.’
Mr Wildin first sparked outrage amongst his neighbors when he was found to have carried out the work without the required planning permission in 2014.
A lengthy legal fight followed ending with a High Court judge handing down an injunction in 2018 and Wildin was initially given until the end of April 2020 to remove the 10,000sq/ft complex.
Mr Wildin first sparked outrage amongst his neighbors when he was found to have carried out the work without the required planning permission in 2014
A blue Bentley owned by Mr Wildin has been pictured parked on the residential road in Cinderford, Forest of Dean and bears a personalized number plate
Neighbor Chris Briginshaw says one elderly neighbor found one of Mr Wildin’s cars parked across her driveway. Chris says he complained and says a week a classic vehicle had been parked across his driveway in the middle of the night
This ordered Mr Wildin to tear down the sports center as it had a serious impact on his neighbors in Cinderford, Glos.
But after failing to carry out the court’s orders, he was found in contempt of court.
Mr Justice Jarman handed down a custodial sentence of six weeks, suspended for 12 months in November last year and a new deadline was set.
Mr Wildin has since reached the deadline to comply with the order to complete the required work under the threat of prison if he failed to do so.
Mr Wildin was handed a suspended prison sentence after he was found to be in contempt of court when he missed the last deadline to remove the building. Pictured: The home cinema
Mr Wildin’s 10,000 sq ft leisure complex includes a bowling alley, cinema and private casino
During the judgment, Lady Justice Laing also found that the council had no way of proving whether Mr Wildin could afford to demolish the building, as he has never made full disclosure of his assets. Mr Wildin, pictured in his casino, could face prison if he is found to be in contempt of court
He faces a £300,000 tax bill after HMRC refused to believe his claim the man cave was for ‘holidaymakers’ and therefore the work was tax-deductible.
During the judgment, Lady Justice Laing also found that the council had no way of proving whether Mr Wildin could afford to demolish the building, as he has never made full disclosure of his assets.
But she described him as ‘entirely the author of his own misfortune’ and said there was ‘reasonable basis’ to believe he was a very wealthy man.’
Forest of Dean District Council was also awarded substantial costs as part of the hearing.
Mr Wildin has been approached for comment.
