Sir Richard Branson set to buy £25m Dorset estate? (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Sir Richard Branson set to buy £25m Dorset estate?
7:00pm Wednesday 28th January 2009 in
AIRLINE tycoon Sir Richard Branson appears to have designs on becoming a Lord of the Manor after he and his wife viewed a £25 million Dorset retreat.
Sir Richard and his wife Joan have visited the palatial Encombe Estate near Swanage – one of the most expensive properties on the market in Britain at the moment.
He paid a flying visit to Dorset, jetting in from a holiday in Switzerland to Bournemouth aiport in his private plane. His party then hired a motorcade of four taxis to take them out to view the property, being sold by Savills.
Encombe is set in 2,000 acres, has three private lakes, and boasts two-and-a-half miles of unspoiled views of the Jurassic Coast. The grade II listed building has 12 bedrooms, a swimming pool and even a Grecian-style temple. There are a further 10 cottages on the estate, a palladian-style stable block, an equestrian centre and an area for pheasant and partridge shooting.
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Pop star Kylie Minogue was rumoured to have been keen on the property when it was last up for sale in 2002 but Sir Richard is the latest potential buyer to view it.
A source said: “Richard, Joan and their family had been on holiday in Switzerland before flying into Bournemouth especially on a private jet.
“There were about 14 of them but I don’t think their children Holly and Sam were there.
“Four cars drove them all out to the Encombe Estate so Richard could view it.
“Everyone had a look around the house and the land for about 45 minutes while the cars waited outside for them all.
“Once they had finished, Richard and his family were driven back to the airport.”
The Encombe Estate has only changed hands five times over its 1,000-year history. In the 18th century it was owned by John Pitt – a distant relative of Prime Minister William Pitt – and was sold in 1807 to Lord Eldon, the Lord Chancellor. It remained in his family until 2002 when it was bought for £11m by American merchant banker Charles McVeigh III.
Comments(23)
DonG
says...
8:44pm Wed 28 Jan 09
So, an american merchant banker doubles his ill-gotten gains in 6 years. I hope Sir Richard offers him LESS than £11m, rather than the £25m price quoted !
PokesdownMark
says...
8:56pm Wed 28 Jan 09
Bob49
says...
10:42pm Wed 28 Jan 09
The truth about our cuddly, bearded, jumper wearing hippy is not for the feint hearted.
Not a pleasant chap is our Richard.
oneshortleg
says...
11:02pm Wed 28 Jan 09
Bob49 wrote:Not read it but can guess, I know he charges those who do not have bank accounts (usually the poor) an extra fiver a month if they pay using cash at a paypoint for using his vigin media or telephone. Its terrible hope he doesn't buy it its lovely round there he will probably turn it into an Alton Towers or up-market hotel!
perhaps you might care to read Tom Bower's excellent book called Branson. The truth about our cuddly, bearded, jumper wearing hippy is not for the feint hearted. Not a pleasant chap is our Richard.
Bob49
says...
11:32pm Wed 28 Jan 09
"Virgin Music - started amid a sophisticated purchase-tax fraud that Branson admitted in 1971"
" Virgin Cola, hailed by Branson in 1994 as the inevitable successor to Coca-Cola, has practically disappeared. Virgin Clothes, launched on the stock exchange in 1996, folded with losses to shareholders. Virgin Money was launched with a glitzy advertisement of Branson emerging naked from the sea, but did not deliver the expected big financial rewards. Then came Virgin Vie, Virgin Vision, Virgin Vodka, Virgin Wine, Virgin Jeans, Virgin Brides, Virgin Cosmetics and Virgin Cars - none fulfilling their creator's inflated dreams."
Much, much more shocking stuff
try entering 'Branson virgin failures' into google - very illuminating !
thesyrup1
says...
1:42am Thu 29 Jan 09
amused
says...
6:18am Thu 29 Jan 09
Emulated
says...
7:21am Thu 29 Jan 09
In Absentia
says...
8:58am Thu 29 Jan 09
magicmonkey
says...
10:03am Thu 29 Jan 09
DonG wrote:I think the merchant banker spent the 6 years (and no doubt a fair bit of cash) renovating and restoring the estate, which probably explains the higher price?
"...bought for £11m by American merchant banker Charles McVeigh III." So, an american merchant banker doubles his ill-gotten gains in 6 years. I hope Sir Richard offers him LESS than £11m, rather than the £25m price quoted !
http://news.bbc.co.u
k/1/hi/england/dorse
t/7618905.stm
Dorset_Born_n_Bread !
says...
10:19am Thu 29 Jan 09
Lets not forget, despite his 'Marmite' love it or hate it reputation, he is yet another potential world renowned mega-personality possibly a new be it occasionally resident of Dorset. Putting us all on the map of fame. AKA John Lennon's Aunti's old house in Haven Point Sandbanks. Its what keeps the tourists talking I guess.
We could do a lot worse, Posh and Becks were 'rumoured' to be moving in a while ago. Look what happened there! Somehow does a Helipad fit in with the surroundings in Encombe? I cant see Mr. Branson making his way from Wareham Station to London on one of his trains, or having to battle the M27-M3 corridor can you? I can see the headline now.....'BRANSON STUCK IN M27 TRAFFIC SURVEY HORROR'
:D Have a happy Thursday everyone!
Zzzz
says...
10:29am Thu 29 Jan 09
Bob49 wrote:So? Nearly every entrepreneur will have failures as well as successes: you win some, you lose some. He seems to have done okay for himself overall!
I quote
"Virgin Music - started amid a sophisticated purchase-tax fraud that Branson admitted in 1971"
" Virgin Cola, hailed by Branson in 1994 as the inevitable successor to Coca-Cola, has practically disappeared. Virgin Clothes, launched on the stock exchange in 1996, folded with losses to shareholders. Virgin Money was launched with a glitzy advertisement of Branson emerging naked from the sea, but did not deliver the expected big financial rewards. Then came Virgin Vie, Virgin Vision, Virgin Vodka, Virgin Wine, Virgin Jeans, Virgin Brides, Virgin Cosmetics and Virgin Cars - none fulfilling their creator's inflated dreams."
Much, much more shocking stuff
try entering 'Branson virgin failures' into google - very illuminating !
Yes, he's probably nothing like that cheerful blokey public image that he cultivates. But then anyone who thinks that a self-made billionaire isn't going to have a ruthless streak must be very naive indeed.
frying leper
says...
11:29am Thu 29 Jan 09
no way frtxx
captain scarlet
says...
12:47pm Thu 29 Jan 09
skcollob
says...
2:46pm Thu 29 Jan 09
captain scarlet wrote:And Madona if she hasn't lost her house in the divorce.
Most of my family have worked with Virgin Atlantic and he certainly is not the cuddly dudley as a previous poster remarked. He puts across the myth that he is a working class lad made good - his father was a barrister and he came from a wealthy family. He is a businessman and I guess he had nothing better to do for an hour and thought hed have a look at a few country estates. Still hed have Jonathan Ross to socialize with!!!!
Maureen Arthur
says...
3:59pm Thu 29 Jan 09
Bob49 wrote:Branson - got to luuuurve his pickle products!!
perhaps you might care to read Tom Bower's excellent book called Branson. The truth about our cuddly, bearded, jumper wearing hippy is not for the feint hearted. Not a pleasant chap is our Richard.
oiiiiiiiiiink!
paul.p
says...
4:58pm Thu 29 Jan 09
Woman in wrong Car in the Dark shock
A unidentified woman got into a car car in the dark last night. It was only when she got home that she realised it wasn't her car. The shocked woman then rang the Police and told them of her predicament. The Police arrived at her House and promptly arrested her for taking without consent.
EdBmth
says...
8:28am Fri 30 Jan 09
frying leper
says...
9:25am Fri 30 Jan 09
in the dogs dog house,
. An unidentified man got into (2 cars) a car car in the dark last night it was only when he got home that the jerk realised it wasnt his car the shocked jerk then rang the police and told them of his predicament the Bill arrived at his bedsit and promptly arrested him for having his trousers on back to front without consent.frt xx do not report this post
frying leper
says...
10:57am Fri 30 Jan 09
Julian1964
says...
7:35pm Fri 30 Jan 09
CC C-siders
says...
10:42am Sun 1 Feb 09
magicmonkey wrote:Well said Magic.
DonG wrote: "...bought for £11m by American merchant banker Charles McVeigh III." So, an american merchant banker doubles his ill-gotten gains in 6 years. I hope Sir Richard offers him LESS than £11m, rather than the £25m price quoted !I think the merchant banker spent the 6 years (and no doubt a fair bit of cash) renovating and restoring the estate, which probably explains the higher price? http://news.bbc.co.u k/1/hi/england/dorse t/7618905.stm
So Don, you know this Banker well enough to pass such a judgement do you? "ill-gotten gains" - how do you justify that?
No doubt in your view all the World's current problems are down to bankers. This is government propaganda to deflect attention from the appalling waste of British tax-payers money by the worst Chancellor of all time, now the worst (and unelected) prime minister of all time. Yes, many bankers are massivley at fault but there is no way you can blame all of them, or deflect from the real culprits - this Govt.
When Red-Gordy reintroduces the 'window tax' or something similar (which he will do if given the chance), any potential buyer may think twice. Then who'll look after it?
dopey
says...
8:45pm Sun 1 Feb 09
I understood the frying leper version of this story about the pickle baron (the man in 2 cars), than your ramble about window tax. Perhaps you might feel better after you try a little self-defenestration.
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VIEWING: Sir Richard Branson
PRESTIGIOUS: Encombe House in Dorset
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