It was not an obvious route to wealth, and seven years later Midland Garages, as his dealership was called, had a staff of seven and did a fair, though not particularly lucrative turnover. After a few years of throwing lavish parties, 15 Sep 2015. The bed in the master suite is an "emperor-size bed" measuring two metres by two metres, which means you can "starfish and you don't touch the person next to you," she says. Beside the nightclub with the unique mirrored floor sits a games room with a faux rose-covered ceiling. John has covered the walls with photos of his family members recreating snaps of Hollywood royalty in iconic poses, including the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn. Caudwell has good reason to feel this way. Around four years ago, John decided to embark on a total renovation of what was, he says, a "tasteless gold palace". "That taught me a lot. Sign up to our newsletter. 12 The sprawling 250million mansion is owned by Phones 4 U founder John Caudwell Credit: CHANNEL 4 PICTURE PUBLIC 12 The first floor has three bedroom suites, including a master bedroom with walk-in dressing room, and two separate marble bathrooms. "They'd say, 'Ooh yeah, that's gorgeous, how much is that?'" Inside John Caudwell's 250m mega Mayfair mansion "Are the police having us on?" As well as being a cycling fanatic (he took up the sport only six years ago and covers more than 20,000 miles a year), Mr Caudwell, 47, is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Britain. I just thought how magnificent it would be for gala evenings, Caudwell toldThe Timesof London about the ballroom. The privately-held Caudwell Group, in which he has a majority stake, owns a mobile phone empire including the country's biggest mobile phone distribution network, repair service, accessories distributor and independent airtime provider. Experience extraordinary with us this June. The group's 1999 turnover was 596m, up from 160m in 1996. It looked good, by the end. "We want to be number one in anything we do." Each email has a link to unsubscribe. "The suppliers really screwed my business. "So I managed to talk some big retailers into buying the product from me, on the basis that most of the profit in those days was in selling the airtime, not how much you managed to buy the phone for. "It was a bit of a slow start. The master bedroom suite has a huge crystal light finished with a gold leaf trim, plus an emperor-sized bed. "I did them the best deal I possibly could, and I just went for my retrospective rebate. all. Nobody knew about mobiles then, there was hardly any demand, and anyway nobody would come to a car salesman to buy a phone." The super-home has 110 rooms; spanning 43,000sq ft - which is roughly the average size of 55 London flats and more than twice the size of the Royal Albert Hall. "When I do the first charity party, maybe with 80 or 90 people in that ballroom, and we raise a load of money for Caudwell Children, I will enjoy that more than anything else I could ever do in my life," says owner John. One of the reasons for Mr Caudwell's relative obscurity in the millionaires' club may be that Phones 4U, the group's most public face, is a relatively small retailer, with around 130 shops. On the inside I felt the same especially about the staff. The ballroom is said to be the largest private ballroom in London after Buckingham Palace. In an increasingly saturated market, customer loyalty, he says, "is absolutely essential, critical", adding: "We need to give them such good value that they don't really want to go anywhere else. Mr Caudwell's next business would provide the path to his later success. Some years ago, Harvard psychologists concluded that our brains are designed to stay at a "stable point" of happiness and the intensity of our emotional response to change, whether for good or bad, is less than we think it will be. FAQ - Advantage Lifts A river filled with handpicked African Cichlid fish flows through the centre of the room. "But there's a wrinkle or two with their service, which we don't have. 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It really has been a labor of love, Cauldwell said. These are used to recognise you when you return to our website. Policymakers now have a chance to fix some of the underlying problems holdin, Even a small increase to your monthly pension contributions could add tens of thousands of pounds to your retirement pot. It's just an instinct, I know that's the way to do it.". CL. Or 2.4 per cent of this renovation project. ", Mr Caudwell hired a manager to run the mobile business out of a backroom in the car dealership, and a year later it was still running at a loss of around 1,000 a month. "Little did I know back then I'd have a child in the same situation. The Channel 4 team join the build for its final stages: a point when the project - which has already run over on time - is 55 million over budget, too. The 12 seat cinema room is fully equipped with bar and seating area. His office is a smallish room carpeted with Wilton (white diamonds on a claret background) and lined by posh striped magnolia wallpaper. Chrissy Teigen shows off her super-tidy pantry and even Marie Kondo is impressed! Plus, get the exclusive Robb Report tote bag FREE. Sign up for exclusive newsletters, comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events. By submitting your info on this form, you are agreeing to be contacted regarding your service request by means of telephone, email, or text including using pre-recorded or auto dialed phone calls or text messages to the phone number you have provided, including your wireless number, if provided. for sale. "Last weekend was pretty tiring," he says. Sign up for exclusive newsletters, comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events. John Caudwell He and some friends cycled from Stoke, down the length of Wales, to Oxford and back to Stoke, a distance of 440 miles along winding hill roads in three days. It is decked out with a personalised cinema, a dining room complete with flowing river and live fish and an indoor car park that is also a "beautiful piece of art". Visit our corporate site www.futureplc.com Future Publishing Limited, Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. This was not the answer he was looking for and he indicated that I had to leave the club. Both buildings form a single site and are linked at the basement level. He asked to be accredited as a dealer straightaway. Design Star Hendifar on Sketching, Finding Calm, and His Favorite Cartier Watch, This Mobile Safari Tent Unfolds Into a Luxe Sleeper No Matter Where You Camp, 5 Stylish Outdoor Rocking Chairs for Relaxing All Summer Long, The 15 Best Fire Pits to Make Your Backyard Even Cozier, The house contains 15 bedrooms on eight floors, three of which are subterranean, 20,000 sheets of gold leaf were used in the interior, An underground car stacker system can hold up to eight vehicles, A total of 343,082 cubic feet of earth was excavated to accommodate geothermal heating and cooling amidst other subterranean delights, There is a river in the dining room which is 16.5 inches deep populated with African cichlid fish. I told them if they hadn't got the phones they were losing market share. He is also a speed freak. ft. mega-manse was purchased in 2012 for about $100 million. Celebrity neighbours have included heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua, while nearby residents have included singers Rihanna and Robbie Williams, as well as acting stars Damian Lewis and Helen McCrory. The huge property has 15 bedrooms and eight floors, spanning 43,000 sq feet. "We don't realise how quickly we will adapt to a pleasurable event and make it the backdrop of our lives," says one of the psychologists. The Brummy-billionaire told OK Magazine he stripped the majority of the mansion back to basics, as he found the decor was "ostentatious". Luxury features include a subterranean spa area with 14-metre pool, sauna, hammam and treatment and dressing rooms. Even his girlfriend has left him for someone more normal. To help ensure your car lift installation job is a smooth, and hassle-free process, we will pair you with local Arizona professionals who are qualified and experienced with car lift installation and similar services. A newly built 10-bedroom mansion in St Johns Wood has become the most expensive home to go on the London market this year, with a price tag of 75 million. With the work now finished, it is estimated to be worth around 250 million. He said: I would describe them as leisurely.' Officers in the West Midlands say cuts mean they can't afford sirens on their cars, so they can "only chase criminals within the speed limit". * Residential & commercial car lift installation services The huge property has a ballroom, 15 bedrooms and eight floors, spanning 43,000 sq feet. phoenix. 20:20 Logistics is already Europe's largest handset distributor, with operations in the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Denmark and Norway. According to the Sunday Times Rich List in 2021, John is worth 1.566 billion and is the UK's 103rd wealthiest person. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, John Caudwell: The millionaire who finally found his calling in mobile, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Get up to 10% off using the Booking.com app, 50 off over 650 using this Expedia discount code, $6 off a $50+ order with this AliExpress discount code, 10% off selected product with this eBay voucher code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK April 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this April, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. A stuffy old bloke wearing pin-striped trousers looked me up and down as though I had something rather unpleasant on my shoes. There's also a sauna for relaxing those tired muscles. Nothing in the Swede's difficult early life (his father was a drug addict and his parents divorced when he was 12) prepared him for huge wealth and, as many lottery winners have found, sudden riches never have the magical effect they're expected to have. phoenix for sale "car lift" - craigslist The expansive gym includes state of the art equipment. The 25,000 sq ft neo-classical residence in Avenue Road was built on a plot bought for 14 million in 2013 by Greek property developer George Dragoumanos. "I got a retrospective rebate from Motorola if I bought a lot of product. He is a man with huge wealth, but one who still counts the pennies, the boy from Stoke who has set his heart on a home in the old money world of Mayfair. he renovation of an extraordinary home carved out of two mega mansions in the heart of Mayfair has been featured in a one-off documentary, Britains Most Expensive Home: Building for a Billionaire, on Channel 4. As well as a cinema room, there are further sitting rooms spread across the spacious property. all phoenix. In Mayfair, the wealthy businessman John Caudwell, founder of the retail chain Phones 4u, was also lusting after a home. A secluded Hollywood-style super-mansion near Hampstead Heath went up for sale in 2019, with an asking price of 40 million. The renovation ran over time and 55 million over budget and the the results will be seen once again on Channel 4's Britain's Most Expensive Home: Building for a Billionaire, which airs at 8pm this evening (August 5). We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. I'm confident we will be one of the biggest mobile telecommunications companies in the world. The documentary, like Caudwell, had remarkably little self-awareness, failing to ask what possible point there was in all this: the stress, the expense, the deeply ugly custom-made tables with gold leaf-lined cracks. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and also allows us to improve our site. ft. mega-manse was purchased in 2012 for about $100 million. The businessman even has a lavish cinema room that has been kitted out with all the amenities for a movie night. Enter your password to log in. (His companies now sell more than that every minute.) Money can't buy happiness for John Caudwell. These are cookies that are required for the operation of our website. Interiors were designed by Athens and London-based Sissy Feida and include a 13-metre crystal floor-to-ceiling hanging chandelier in the grand hall. "When I do the first charity party, maybe with 80 or 90 people in that ballroom, and we raise a load of money for Caudwell Children, I will enjoy that more than anything else I could ever do in my life," says owner John. Britains Most Expensive Home: Building for a Billionaire-in pictures, Watch your step: on the third floor, a river with handpicked African Cichlid fish flows through the Thai-style dining room, Beauty in the basement: on the wall behind a 40-foot swimming pool is a volcanic lava installation which cost 200,000, Cavernous space: the ballroom is said to be the largest private ballroom in London after Buckingham Palace, You must be at least 18 years old to create an account, Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number, I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from Evening Standard. There is also a three-bedroom, three-bathroom staff quarters. He attended Shelton Church of England School and then Berry Hill High School before abandoning his A-levels to become an apprentice at Michelin and later becoming a second-hand car dealer. John is passionate about property. "As the years passed and I was nine, 10, 11 years old it became obvious I was going to start up a business of some sort," he says. Web* Fast and affordable car lift installation services, including home and property jobs like repairs, installation, maintenance, and inspection * Connect with the best local, qualified It was purchased by Mr Caudwell for 87 million, before the renovation His property business, Caudwell, includes some of the most magnificent residences in the world. John Caudwell is a striking man, as fit as you'd expect for someone who cycles up to 100 miles a day, every day, in all weathers. "We expect to double our turnover in the next two years," he says. He owns three of the fastest road-legal motorbikes ever made. During the renovation, work on the swimming pool ground to a halt when a malfunction with the lighting meant the team had to lift the panel off the wall. no favorites. WebAncaster House - Projects - MSMR Architects View All Projects Ancaster House MSMR successfully secured planning consent for the sensitive redevelopment of two adjoining listed buildings located in the Mayfair Conservation Area. Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations. Included in the grand scheme is a planned basement nightclub with a mirrored dancefloor, five kitchens, a 120-capacity ballroom and pieces of art that cost more than 300,000. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile, It is 6am, and John Caudwell is on his racing bicycle, speeding along the Staffordshire byways. After a few years of throwing lavish parties, Caudwell recentlyembarked on an epic-scale renovation that reportedly ran him an astonishing $85 million. The narrator assured us that Johns motivation to spend so much on the house is in part to attract a better quality of guest to his yearly charity ball, but the charity itself states that the ball brought in 1.5m in donations in 2018. Like this article? He will throw gala evenings, charity balls and hold meetings at the newly revamped property. ", Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. The Phones4U founder - who grew up in Shelton - has created Britain's most expensive home in Mayfair - and you can see it on TV tonight, Want Stoke-on-Trent news emailed to you direct from our journalists? John Caudwell: Inside story He will use his Mayfair home when he needs to be in London, but he has created zones within the house that can be used for his charitable foundation, Caudwell Children, which supports disabled children and their families. He also started a mobile phone repair centre on his premises, with the manufacturers' blessing. Its been 16 years, but the UK economy finally has a chance, How to boost your pension pot by over 100,000, The best one-year fixed savings accounts - April 2023, MoneyWeek is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. MSMR successfully secured planning consent for the sensitive redevelopment of two adjoining listed buildings located in the Mayfair Conservation Area. "The site was just unbelievable," the dad-of-six said. Lee Koffman, head of NW London sales at UK Sothebys International Realty, said: Ultimately its a family house for the mega-rich. Take a tour of Stoke-on-Trent billionaire John Caudwell's lavish The philanthropist, who gives back 70% of his fortune for good causes, will use the home as a entertaining and business address for his charitable projects. He acquired the site in 2012 and, after several years in the planning stage, a three-year build phase is finally set to begin this year. Set in a Portland stone building, the super-home spans 43,000sq ft and has more than enough room for John, his partner and former Olympian Modesta Vesniauskait and their six-month-old son, William, to roam around. Each email has a link to unsubscribe. That afternoon he rang Motorola for an answer, and they told him he would either have to buy from a dealer, or become a dealer. John described the room as a triple threat - "very atmospheric, very comfortable and very luxurious". ", His voice rises enthusiastically with the memory. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. John Caudwell
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