'I bought abandoned Welsh fortress for £500k – people said I had midlife crisis but now it's worth £3m'

Wales Online

5 hours ago

'I bought abandoned Welsh fortress for £500k – people said I had midlife crisis but now it's worth £3m'
In a brave purchase back in May 2017, Mike Conner parted with £555,000 to buy a Napoleonic fort in Pembrokeshire, but now it's back on the market for a staggering £3m
Mike Conner parted with a whopping £555,000 to buy Thorne Island
(Image: Adrian White)
A plucky man who was thought to be having a "midlife crisis" after buying an abandoned Welsh fortress could now be set to reap the benefits of his labour. In a daring purchase in May 2017, Mike Conner parted with £555,000 to buy Thorne Island, a looming Napoleonic fort near Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire that dates back to the 19th century.
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For Mike, a 52-year-old former software firm owner, the purchase marked the beginning of an arduous five-year renovation project that required six men to live on the island for roughly four years.
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Most of the difficulty lay in the fortress's isolated location, as materials had to be flown in via helicopter, something Mike admitted was "incredibly hard".
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With such an ambitious project, it came as no surprise that he faced comments describing his efforts as a "midlife crisis".
Most of the project's difficulty lay in the fortress's isolated location
(Image: Strutt and Parker / SWNS)
He jokingly told the BBC: "Many have described it as a midlife crisis. I really didn't know what I was getting myself into."
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Previously used for parties, the structure had lain unused for 17 years but now boasts a range of amenities, including a nightclub, forty beds, and four en-suite bathrooms.
It appears Mike is set to capitalise on his investment, as the property is now up for sale for £3m.
Constructed in the 1850s to safeguard Milford Haven from the French Navy, the fort was transformed into a hotel in 1947 and used for parties until its sale in 1999.
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Mike faced comments describing his efforts as a "midlife crisis"
(Image: Strutt and Parker / SWNS)
Next to own the fort was Von Essen Hotels, which planned to invest £4m to revive it and install a cable car from the mainland.
Speaking about the fortress's condition when he bought it, Mike revealed: "There was no electric, no water, and any food or waste needed to come back off. My wife was pretty cross when I first said I bought it; she said she would stay once it had a flushing loo, which is pretty reasonable."
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The efforts required to bring the site back up to scratch proved considerable. It was no picnic for the workers living on the island, who were unable to shower for stretches of two weeks.
The property is now up for grabs for a cool £3m
(Image: Strutt and Parker / SWNS)
If they wanted to charge their phones, they had to use a generator, and for bathing, they would simply have to make do with a "dip in the sea". Mike described this as "tough living".
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Now complete, Mike has shared his thoughts about the fortress's potential. He noted that it could be a draw for tourists visiting Wales. In an alternative vision, he also imagined the site as a nightlife destination, which he says could host "unbelievable raves".