January 30th 2024.
Workers have recently started the process of erecting scaffolding around the spa pool block, which was constructed by Captain Sir Tom Moore's daughter and is set to be demolished. This morning, a flatbed truck arrived at the property in Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire, in preparation for the unauthorised spa's demolition. Scaffolders were spotted moving metal poles around the building, following photos that were taken a few days prior showing piles of building waste outside Sir Moore's daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore's home, which is valued at £1.2 million.
Back in October, Hannah and her husband Colin appealed against an order to remove the Captain Tom Foundation Building located on their property. However, Inspector Diane Fleming ruled in November that the spa block must be demolished within three months, by February 7. The Central Bedfordshire Council announced that they would be reviewing the situation on February 8. Despite the deadline for the appeal decision to be challenged in the High Court passing, no claim was filed.
As the deadline for demolition approaches, workers can be seen putting up scaffolding around the building. Demolition and dismantling contractors were also spotted on the property, indicating that the process is already underway. In a recent revelation, Hannah Ingram-Moore admitted that her family kept £800,000 from the sales of Captain Tom's books. This comes after planning permission was originally granted for an L-shaped building on their property, but later denied for a larger C-shaped building that included a spa pool.
Despite the denial, construction of the spa continued, leading to an enforcement notice from the Central Bedfordshire Council requiring its demolition in July 2023. At the appeal hearing in October, a chartered surveyor representing the appellants argued that the spa pool could offer rehabilitation sessions for elderly individuals in the local area. However, Ms. Fleming ultimately concluded that the size and design of the building caused harm to the grade II-listed Old Rectory, which is the family's home.
In addition to the ongoing demolition process, Sir Captain Tom Moore's Foundation is also facing an investigation by the Charity Commission regarding its management and independence from the family. This investigation was launched shortly after the 100-year-old's death in 2021 and was followed by an inquiry in June 2022. Photos of piles of rubbish around the building have also emerged, alongside equipment for the scaffolding being brought onto the property.
During a recent interview, Ms. Ingram-Moore admitted that it was a mistake to submit the planning application for the spa under the Captain Tom Foundation. She clarified that the building was only intended to bear his name, and the family had no intention of using it for personal gain. She also revealed that the profits from Captain Tom's three books, totaling £800,000, were kept by the family. As a reminder, Sir Tom famously raised £38.9 million for the NHS by walking 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday, earning him a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II during a unique outdoor ceremony at Windsor Castle in the summer of 2020.
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