Millionaire behind Britain’s biggest man cave now in ‘prank call’ row with neighbours

In an application to approve a noise management plan at the Airbnb that he now operates on the site, representatives of Wildin refused to publish a personal number for neighbours to report breaches because ‘prank calls’ to the line.

‘The owners are not willing to provide personal mobile telephone numbers to neighbours due to previous issues with prank calls received at unreasonable hours, which are believed to have originated from some neighbours and which the police have been unwilling to pursue,’ they said.

To battle the prank calls, representatives of Wildin said a noise monitoring system was installed at the property to alert the owners if noise levels exceed agreed thresholds.

Among the restrictions placed on guests staying in the Airbnb are a ban on the outside hot tub between 11 pm and 7 am, and any other ‘excessive noise’ during that period.

Neighbours said things had improved since the man-cave was knocked down. Building work on the road backing onto the mancave continued this week, and another neighbour said they were delighted to see it gone.

One neighbour said, ‘I don’t know anything about any prank calls to him, but that probably shows just how much he upset people here.

‘He thought he could keep throwing money at it and get away with it. But there’s nothing left now – so what did he really achieve?’

Forest of Dean District Council had it would be pursuing costs from Mr Wildin for demolishing the leisure centre.

Mr Wildin first took steps to construct a leisure centre in the back garden of one of two adjacent houses he then owned at Meendhurst Road in November 2013, prompting a member of the public to submit a complaint to the Forest of Dean District Council.

Shortly after the start of construction, various council officers advised Wildin that the proposed building was not ‘permitted development’ and required planning permission.

Following a series of warnings, in November 2018, the council obtained an injunction against Wildin, and he was given until April 25, 2020, to demolish the leisure building.

In June 2022, Wildin was found in contempt of court for non-compliance with the injunction.

The judge sentenced him to six weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, on the condition that the building be permanently stripped and decommissioned within 18 weeks. Wildin subsequently appealed the decision.

The appeal was dismissed, and he was given until March 10, 2022, to comply with the Order to complete the required work, if he was to avoid prison. Again, he did not comply with the injunction and was sentenced to six weeks’ imprisonment in August 2022.

In March 2023, Wildin appealed the prison sentence, which was also dismissed. The latest deadline for Wildin to comply with the injunction expired in early January 2023.

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