Millionaire's 10-year battle to save 'UK's biggest man cave' over as it's destroyed

A millionaire's ten-year battle to save Britain's "biggest man cave" is finally over - as pictures show it has been totally demolished.

Graham Wildin, 70, has spent more than a decade fighting to preserve his illegal 10,000sq/ft leisure complex - and has even served jail time over it. The row has been ongoing since 2014 when he built the "man cave" with a bowling alley, casino and a cinema at the back of his home - without planning permission.

Forest of Dean District Council started pulling it down in June - and drone pictures this week show it now resembles a "concrete car park". The complex had sat behind his home in Cinderford, Gloucestershire and had at one time included plush squash courts, soft play area and bowling alley.

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One local resident said they were delighted to see it gone. They said: "It's about time. We get a full view of it from here. Absolutely, I'm happy to see it go. I think all the people down the bottom (of the road) are very happy." Mr Wildin declined to comment on the demolition but the full removal brings an end to a lengthy battle to try and preserve it.

Forest of Dean District Council confirmed the demolition was now complete and they would be pursuing costs from Mr Wildin. A spokesperson said: "The demolition of the building built without planning permission at Meendhurst Road in Cinderford has now been completed, and the demolition and removal team have now left the site.

"It is important to note that the cost of this process should not be borne by the taxpayer, and we are now working to recover the full cost of the demolition from the landowner. We would once again like to thank local residents for their patience and understanding during this process."

After receiving approval to proceed with the demolition, the site was secured on 31 May 2024 to carry out the work. This follows a lengthy legal process where Mr Wildin received multiple court orders to demolish the building and served time in prison for contempt of court, the council said.