Millionaire behind 'UK's biggest man cave' sees it demolished after bitter row that saw him jailed

A millionaire who built Britain's "biggest man cave" has seen it finally torn down after a ten-year planning row. Graham Wildin, 70, has been in constant defiance of court orders to dismantle his mammoth 10,000sq/ft play den, which has even landed him behind bars.

Wildin sparked controversy in 2014 by erecting the 'man cave' complete with a bowling alley, casino, and cinema at the rear of his house without the green light from planners. Demolition by Forest of Dean District Council began in June and now the roof has been removed, exposing the hollowed-out interior.

Aerial snaps revealed the bare bones of the structure, located behind his property in Cinderford, Gloucestershire. Gone are the luxurious squash courts, children's soft play zone, and bowling lanes that featured in an early video tour of the complex.

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A bystander said: "It looks nothing like the plush leisure centre which we once saw there." Wildin faced his first legal setback in September 2018 when the High Court issued an injunction, giving him until April 2020 to tear down the building.

He ignored it and was handed a suspended jail term in June 2021. Following an unsuccessful appeal at the Court of Appeal, he was instructed to demolish the complex by March 10, 2022.

But Wildin's continued resistance triggered the activation of a six-week suspended sentence for contempt of court on August 13, 2022. After being released from HMP Cardiff, he was given 18 weeks to "soft strip" the interior of the building to render it unusable.

But that deadline passed in January 2023 and last year marked his fifth court defeat as his sentence was upheld and he was ordered to pay £9,962 in costs to the district council - despite his claims he had sold everything for a mere £1.

In September 2023, it was reported he had been served an interim injunction to prevent him from harassing neighbours with parking issues and CCTV surveillance. Neighbours accused Wildin of venting his frustration with the council on them by packing the street's parking spaces with his collection of vintage cars.

He appealed and in December it was reported he was issued a final injunction - limiting him to parking only two cars on the road and making provision for two visitors, who could stay for a maximum of eight hours.

A judge also ruled that Wildin was not allowed to maintain CCTV surveillance cameras on the exterior of any vehicle or on any extendable pole. But in March of this year, it was reported the six-bedroom home near the 'man cave', believed to be owned by his family, was set to become a holiday let.

Temporary permission was granted for it to be used as such, despite local concerns about noise, cars and "noisy revellers". Last month, when asked if he had any comments or if he thought the demolition was fair, Wildin did not respond to questions and went back inside.

A council spokesperson said: "As a council it is our duty to ensure planning and development proposals comply with the law and bring benefit to the area, while also safeguarding the community.

"Hundreds of people every year follow the correct process for planning applications and development, sadly this has not been the case at this location."

The bill for the demolition work will not be picked up by taxpayers, the spokesperson said: "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."