Captain Tom family spa torn down by diggers as court-ordered demolition goes on
Captain Tom’s daughter has been forced to watch as a huge demolition digger has arrived at her luxury spa, as it continues to be torn down.
Hannah Ingram-Moore, the daughter of the national icon, sprung to fame after a luxury spa she built in the war veteran’s name was deemed illegal. Sir Captain Tom raised millions for the NHS during lockdown, as the centenarian walked laps of his garden during lockdown.
During a difficult time for the nation, his actions reflected the actions so many showed to help their local communities. But in the aftermath, his daughter hit headlines for some of the wrong reasons, including raking in a handsome salary as CEO of his namesake charity, and claiming his awards for herself - with her charity now under investigation.
Then, she illegally built a luxury spa in the grounds of her home in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire. However, the local council ruled that it had been illegally built and ordered her to tear it down. Almost three years since the death of Sir Tom, his daughter is now being forced to tear the spa down built in his namesake building.
Bulldozers demolishing the £200,000 spa complex at the home of Captain Tom’s daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore (Bav Media)
The demolition must be finished by February 7 (Bav Media)Today, a huge digger arrived to help with the continued demolition, which must be finished by February 7, with Central Bedfordshire Council expected to be reviewing it onsite the next day.
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(Bav Media)
Hannah Ingram-Moore and Captain Tom (Getty Images)Planning permission had been granted for an L-shaped building in the grounds of the family home – but the planning authority refused a subsequent retrospective application in 2022 for a larger C-shaped building containing a spa pool.
The digger arriving at the site today (PA)
A digger arrived on site today to help the demolition of the luxury spa (Bav Media)The council issued an enforcement notice in July 2023 requiring the demolition of the “unauthorised building” and the Planning Inspectorate dismissed an appeal against this. During a hearing in October, chartered surveyor James Paynter, for the appellants, said the spa pool had “the opportunity to offer rehabilitation sessions for elderly people in the area”.
Yesterday a spa pool was taken out by crane (PA)But Ms Fleming’s written decision concluded the “scale and massing” of the building had resulted in harm to the grade II-listed Old Rectory – the family’s home.
The foundation is the subject of an investigation by the Charity Commission amid concerns about its management and independence from Sir Tom’s family. The charity watchdog opened a case into the foundation shortly after the 100-year-old died in 2021, and launched its inquiry in June 2022.
The spa has to be demolished this week (PA)Scott Stemp, representing Ms Ingram-Moore and her husband, said at the appeal hearing that the foundation “is to be closed down following an investigation by the Charity Commission”.
Sir Tom raised £38.9 million for the NHS, including gift aid, by walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday, at the height of the first national Covid-19 lockdown in April 2020. He was knighted by the late Queen during a unique open-air ceremony at Windsor Castle in the summer of that year.
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