Squatters Turn Ex-Hotel into “Micro-Nation”: I Smell a New British Comedy!
Ah, the classic tale of a luxury hotel falling into the hands of a bunch of non-paying guests. Or as I like to call it: the kind of plot twist that even Neil Morrissey wouldn’t have dreamed up in Men Behaving Badly. If you’ve ever wondered what happens to posh establishments when they go bust, let me unveil the latest chapter in the saga of Hurst House Hotel – transformed from spa sanctuary to squatters’ paradise!
Squatters vs. Luxury Spa: The Battle of the Ages
Once a lavish retreat, where guests splashed out £300 a night to unwind with Michelin-star meals, the Hurst House Hotel—now called the Corran in Laugharne, Wales—closed its doors in 2021. Fast forward to today, and enter Tom “Wilko” Wilkinson, a self-proclaimed “Robin Hood” of the streets, leading a band of merry (albeit non-paying) squatters who’ve staked their claim in this unfortunate fiscal fallout.
What’s Cooking?
Wilkinson’s grand vision isn’t just squatting; oh no! He dreams of creating a “micro-nation”—because why not? Nothing screams “patriotism” quite like commandeering a hotel once frequented by the likes of actual paying customers. Meanwhile, the locals are left wondering whether to bring popcorn or a hazmat suit to the nightly raves happening right outside their windows. Nothing like a good bonfire with a side of “wild outdoor parties” to liven up your suburban life!
“Robin Hood” or Just “Hoodlum”?
Tom surely has a way with words! “I’m preserving a piece of history!” he claims, as he ropes off the grand entrance with an old tyre. If I were Neil Morrissey, I’d be cringing harder than during my last family dinner. This isn’t quite the legacy he anticipated when he starred in a show about debauchery and chaos, is it?
A Courtroom Comedy Awaits
Yet, this comedy is not without its courtroom dramas—Upper Street Holdings, the Seychelles-based entity that acquired the hotel for a mere £19,600 (that’s one pint at the bar in London!), has legal proceedings lined up against Wilkinson and his ‘squatter family.’ To kick off November, they’re taking him and ‘persons unknown’ to court. It’s like a legal episode of Room 101, but with more confetti and less respect for common decency.
Laugharne’s New Reality Show
This level of chaos has surely caught the attention of local residents. One local has voiced concerns that Wilkinson may set the place ablaze if evicted. Now there’s a plot twist worthy of a Netflix series! And let’s be honest, if you haven’t seen at least a season of a show where squatters take over a hotel, you’re missing out on some gripping storytelling. A campfire gathering with “music playing all through the night”? That’s an invitation for sleepless nights punctuated by bad karaoke!
Deserved Guests or Unwanted Intruders?
With reports of an older lady—Sandra, 75, I believe—being stalked while she just wants to enjoy her peaceful cup of tea, one must ask: have the squatters become “the new locals,” or just an unsightly inconvenience replete with noisy parties? Mrs. Flaxman seems as desperate as a contestant on Love Island looking for a relationship—unsuccessfully trying to secure her own space from squatters Leering and Peering!
The Fever Dream of Capitalism Gone Awry
In a world where someone sees an abandoned hotel and thinks “micro-nation,” it’s easy to see how the British spirit of survival and a sense of humor enter the mix. Wilkinson is adamant that he knows how journalists operate; well, he’s about to learn how comedians work, and trust me, we craft our narratives with a creative flair like no other!
From Dining Fine to Fining Dine
As another neighbor put it succinctly, “He’s making everyone around here very nervous.” It seems like laughter isn’t the only emotion surfacing here; confusion and fear are also on the table. As they try to reclaim their hotel, here’s hoping it ends in comedy rather than calamity. Stand clear, because Hurst House could serve up something far more entertaining than it’s ever seen in its luxury days!
The Final Curtain Call
With the stage set for this bizarre showdown, will the squatters hold their ground or be evacuated faster than an overcooked soufflé? Will Tom “Robin Hood” Wilkinson become a national figure or merely a footnote in the annals of British eccentricity? One thing’s for sure: whether it ends in tears, laughter, or a new reality show, it’s guaranteed to be more entertaining than re-runs of Men Behaving Badly.
So let’s raise a glass to history, hilarity, and the inevitable squabbles of life’s absurdities. After all, if this isn’t the British way, I don’t know what is!
A GROUP OF SQUATTERS has taken possession of a once-glamorous spa hotel previously owned by Neil Morrissey, beloved star of the hit series Men Behaving Badly.
The motley crew is spearheaded by Tom “Wilko” Wilkinson, a self-styled “Robin Hood” with aspirations of establishing a “micro-nation” within the walls of the upscale hotel complex, which used to lure guests willing to spend £300 a night for luxurious accommodations and upscale meals crafted by Michelin-starred chefs.
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The lavish Hurst House Hotel, which was later renamed The Corran and located in Laugharne, West Wales, shut its doors in 2021 following numerous unsuccessful attempts to turn a profit.
After the latest owners succumbed to bankruptcy, Wilkinson and his band of non-paying guests moved into the sprawling 21-bedroom resort, quickly altering the atmosphere by causing distress among the local residents.
The squatters are reportedly “terrorising” the surrounding community, hosting raucous outdoor parties around a massive bonfire and inviting newcomers who arrive in large minibuses.
The hotel’s grand entrance has been left in disarray, now roped off with an old tyre across the drive, leading to further frustration among locals.
Additionally, the sign announcing the Corran Hotel and Spa has been vandalized and is in a state of disrepair.
Wilkinson insists he is preserving a piece of history, proclaiming that his endeavor will ultimately “make Robin Hood look like a true story.”
The current owner of the property, identified on Companies House as Seychelles-based Upper Street Holdings, acquired the hotel in 2022 for a mere £19,600 and is now seeking court intervention to evict the squatters.
Upper Street Holdings has filed for possession in Llanelli County Court, naming “Mr. Thomas Wilkinson AKA Tom Walk and persons unknown” as defendants. The case is set to be heard on November 11, where the court will determine whether the squatters must vacate the premises.
Wilkinson has already extended his threats of a counterclaim for £250,000 against the owners, asserting that they’ve overstepped their bounds.
Local residents who have entered the former hotel during its occupation report that they fear for its fate if the squatters are forced out, concerned about the possible destruction of property.
One worried local suggested that Wilkinson appeared to be preparing for a fire, gathering sheets of paper that contained sensitive client records from the spa.
Sandra Flaxman, 75, who operates a nearby campsite, has faced ongoing intimidation from Wilkinson, who has been known to drive slowly past her home, leering in at her through the window.
Flaxman described her daily ordeal, stating, “He is terrorising me and this taunting is part of it. I contacted the police about him but they said there’s nothing they can do without an eviction order.”
“So now I’m just praying the court will order him to leave. He is causing everyone around here sleepless nights.”
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Men Behaving Badly reunion set
Men Behaving Badly stars Neil Morrissey and Martin Clunes are reuniting.
The comedy duo is back for a three-part series called Neil & Martin’s Bon Voyage.
They will take on a road trip through France, which has become Neil’s second home, visiting Normandy, the Alps, and his cider apple orchard in the South.
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