Graham Wildin, 73, known for owning what was once dubbed Britain’s largest man cave, is now at the center of a new conflict with his neighbours. Despite losing a lengthy ten-year battle that ended with the demolition of his sprawling 10,000 sq ft leisure complex, Wildin alleges that some neighbours have been targeting him with prank calls in the dead of night.
His controversy began in 2014 when Wildin constructed the extravagant man cave behind his home in Cinderford, Gloucestershire, without obtaining planning permission. The facility included a bowling alley, casino, cinema, squash courts, and even a soft play area. However, the Forest of Dean District Council ruled the structure illegal and began its demolition in June of last year. Recent drone images show that the site now looks more like a concrete car park than a leisure complex.
Locals have expressed relief at the removal of the man cave, but tensions remain high. In newly submitted planning documents for the Airbnb holiday let that now operates on the site, Wildin’s representatives refused to share a personal phone number for neighbours to report noise concerns. They cited previous harassment through prank calls they believe originated from nearby residents—calls made at unreasonable hours, which the police have so far declined to investigate.
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The approved noise management plan includes a noise monitoring system that alerts the owners if sound levels exceed agreed limits. Guests are restricted from using the outdoor hot tub between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. and must avoid excessive noise during these hours.
Neighbours have noticed improvements since the man cave’s removal. One neighbour remarked, “It’s much quieter now; Graham keeps to himself, and there’s no trouble from the holiday home. The real problems were when there were lots of vehicles around.”
Another added, “Everyone down the bottom is happy it’s gone. He thought money could buy permission and peace, but it didn’t work.”
Wildin declined to comment on the prank call allegations. His decade-long fight to keep the man cave has included legal battles, injunctions, and even imprisonment. The council previously obtained an injunction demanding the demolition, which Wildin initially ignored, resulting in a suspended six-week jail sentence. After further non-compliance, he served six weeks in prison in 2022. Subsequent appeals were dismissed, and the site was finally cleared by early 2023.
The demolition marked the end of one of the most protracted planning disputes in the Forest of Dean, but the lingering neighbour conflicts indicate that the fallout is far from over.