Crane arrives to Captain Tom's £200k semi-dismantled family spa on three year anniversary of WWII veteran's death
2 February 2024, 15:32
With Captain Tom's family spa now missing a section of roof, a crane has been seen near the property, which needs to be demolished by February 7.
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A section of roof from Captain Tom's family spa has been removed, as shown in photos, exposing the wooden structure underneath.
Now, a crane has been seen on the land.
However, demolition work has paused as it is three years since Captain Tom died.
The complex was ordered to be taken down by February 7, leaving just five days for the demolition to be complete
Captain Tom’s daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore and her husband had been granted permission to build the 'Captain Tom Foundation Building' at their £1.2 million home in Marston Moretaine, a village in Bedfordshire, in the east of England.
Instead of the foundation building, they built a much larger structure - which is now being demolished.
The resulting building included a kitchen and spa pool.
In 2022, a retrospective planning application for a C-shaped building containing a spa pool was turned down by the Central Bedfordshire Council. The building was ordered to be demolished.
Ms Ingram-Moore did campaign against the order but lost her appeal.
Planning inspectors told her to demolish the building, said to have cost £200,000.
Ms Ingram-Moore argued it was not for the family's benefit because it would also be used to hold cards and gifts from Captain Tom's fans.
James Paynter, a chartered surveyor, claimed on behalf of the family it would be used for old people to enjoy rehabilitation sessions.
The complex was ordered to be destroyed by February 7 but neighbours in Marston Moretaine had complained there was no sign of work starting. Preparation work began last week.
Captain Tom raised nearly £40m for NHS charities during the coronavirus pandemic as he walked laps of his garden.
He went on to be knighted by Queen Elizabeth and died in 2021 aged 100.
His family set up the Captain Tom Foundation, but it is due to close after a Charity Commission probe is concluded.
It launched a statutory inquiry into the charity last year over decisions that "may have generated a significant profit" for a company run by the couple.
It said Club Nook Ltd, a separate firm, had been allowed to trademark variations of the name "Captain Tom" without objection from the charity.
Ms Ingram-Moore's spa has brought a renewed focus on Marston Moretaine that locals find embarrassing.
Work to demolish unauthorised spa pool at the home of the daughter of the late Captain Sir Tom Moore continues
Residents have insisted they will refuse to let the negative attention affect their village, telling LBC: "It's a reflection on her, not us."
Local carpenter Ian Burtenshaw said: "It's completely out of order the way they changed the building in the first place, it’s only right it gets taken down.
"It's tarnishing her father’s name, all the charitable work that he did during Covid…but it’s not negatively impacting the village, it’s a reflection on her, not us.”
He went on: "We’re in the heart of Bedfordshire, I’d encourage anyone in driving distance to pop down."
"It's more on [Ingram-Moore]...they've lost all the trust," he said.
"He raised the money for charity purposes... It's him that has given the village the name but there's no doubt it has been tarnished a bit.
"It's gone the other way because of what she has done...the village needs something that recognises him, not them."
