London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

Millionaire 'buys land around him' to stop council tearing down man cave

Millionaire 'buys land around him' to stop council tearing down man cave

A millionaire who is facing jail for refusing to take down his illegal man cave has started buying the properties around him to stop bulldozers getting to it, neighbours have claimed.

Graham Wildin, 69, built a 10,000 square foot leisure centre behind his home in Cinderford, Gloucestershire, in 2014. The large complex includes a cinema, squash court, gym and even a bowling alley.

But Mr Wildin never got planning permission for the project and was ordered to take it down by the end of April in 2020.

When the accountant failed to do this, he was found guilty of contempt of court and handed a six-week prison sentence.

But the High Court suspended Mr Wildin’s prison sentence and extended his deadline to March 10 of this year.

Now, almost a month after the cut-off date, Mr Wildin does not seem to have started any construction work to take the building down.

He has instead resorted to petty, albeit quite creative, measures to keep his beloved man cave up and running, according to locals.



Mr Wildin, an accountant, has a bowling alley in his large leisure centre

Mr Wildin has been accused of buying the land around his home so he can keep the man cave up and running


First, he reportedly tried to create ‘parking chaos’ leaving his collection of classic cars, including a Bentley and a vintage Jensen, on the street around his property and directly outside his home.

There seemed to be six cars parked on the road and two left outside the house in front of his man cave.

Most recently, Mr Wildin has been accused of buying the land around his home and giving the plots to relatives.

It is understood that Mr Wildin believes the council will need permission from his neighbours to send bulldozers through their properties to get to the man cave and forcibly take it down.

Mr Wildin’s family members will presumably not grant this permission.

One neighbour said: ‘He has given ownership of that land, to his children, who aren’t going to allow that permission. They can’t force them. Like it or loathe it, it’s clever.’

Mr Wilden reportedly left two cars outside his house and six cars on his street to ‘create parking chaos’

Mr Wildin’s Bentley parked on the street near his property


Another said they think the council will find some way to take the man cave down and jail Mr Wildin despite the plan.

‘He’s digging his own grave and the council will bury him,’ they said.

Forest of Dean District Council told Metro.co.uk: ‘The Council can not comment on an ongoing case and is continuing to work with the relevant authorities.’

However, Councillor Tim Gwilliam said at a previous hearing: ‘As a council it is important to ensure that development proposals improve the environments in which they live, whilst safeguarding the community.

‘Every year, hundreds of people ask the council for planning advice and follow it. This has not been the case in Mr Wildin’s instance.’

Mr Wildin has been contacted for comment.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
×