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Scottish Sun
16-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Britain's richest gypsy Alfie Best suffers £3m blow as net worth plummets on Rich List
Alfie was spotted celebrating on his £9million superyacht after making it on the list last year NOT THE BEST NOT THE BEST Britain's richest gypsy Alfie Best suffers £3m blow as net worth plummets on Rich List Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BRITAIN'S richest gypsy Alfie Best has suffered a brutal £3million blow as his net worth plummets on the Rich List. The caravan park titan was worth an estimated £947 million but he has dropped down to £944, according to the Sunday Times Rich List. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Alfie Best's net worth has dropped by £3million Credit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun 4 The dad-of-two owns a superyacht and a helicopter Credit: Arthur Edwards / The Sun 4 He says he's the UK's first Gypsy billionaire Credit: James Bailey 2020 The 54-year-old, who founded mobile home company Wyldecrest Parks, is currently number 169 on the Rich List. On top of his holiday property empire, Alfie is also the owner of non-league East Thurrock United, which he bought when the semi-pro football club ran into financial trouble during Covid. His whopping wealth climbed by £202 million the year before last - meaning he is well on track to becoming Britain's first Romany Gypsy billionaire. However, Alfie made the decision to leave the UK and live as a tax exile in Monaco in April 2024. Before moving, he went on a selling spree, selling off eight supercars worth millions and his £4.5million seven-seater Airbus ACH130 helicopter, styled by Aston Martin, which boasts the production number 007 and registration G-YPSE on the fuselage. Alfie now is renting a two-bedroom apartment in Monaco overlooking the famous Formula One course until he gets residency in the millionaires' playground, where residents don't pay tax. The property tycoon describes himself as an 'old-school, blood and blisters businessman'. He did not start his life in immense wealth and was born into a Romani gypsy family. Alfie was born in a caravan beside a road near Leicester on April 12, 1970. By the age of 10 he had started work — selling Tarmac door-to-door with his dad. Britain's richest Gypsy Alfie Best reveals moment at funfair changed his life and set him on track to be multi-millionaire He was a car dealer when he was 17, moving on to selling vans before and mobile phones. The dad-of-two is now the chairman of Wyldecrest Parks — the largest holiday and residential park company in Europe. His company has around 16,000 residents on over 100 sites in the UK, Europe and the US and employs 380 people. His mother Jane Best always believed her son would do well in the future. Jane told The Sun in an exclusive: "When Alfie was a little boy, he come to me and said 'that man got a cracking car over there. It's a big Rolls-Royce. I said 'You know what, you save your money and you'll have a Rolls-Royce one day'.' Alfie definitely heeded his mum's advice, he grew up to be a business tycoon with an empire worth around £1.2 billion. He made on the Rich List last year, earning a spot with 350 other millionaires and billionaires. This year's list marks the largest drop in billionaires in the guide's 37-year history, with just 156 making the list compared to its peak of 177 in 2022. The list reveals the country's 350 richest individuals who share a net worth of £772.8 billion, a three per cent decrease from last year. It evaluates factors including identifiable wealth like land and property, assets like art and racehorses, as well as shares in publicly quoted companies - it doesn't include bank account figures. Reality TV star Georgia Toffolo sits at 12th place in the under-40 list with a shared fortune of £425 million, according to The Sunday Times. The figure combines the estimated wealth of the former Made In Chelsea star, 30, and her husband, BrewDog co-founder James Watt. And pop icon Dua Lipa has become the youngest person on The Sunday Times Rich List 2025. The 29-year-old, who has won several Brit Awards and three Grammys, is 34th on the list, with an estimated wealth of £115 million. Other celebrities who made the list include Harry Kane, Daniel Radcliffe, Ellen Degeneres and Ed Sheeran. David and Victoria Beckham made the list after amassing a net worth of £500 million. Inside Alfie's lavish £100k superyacht holiday BY JEMMA CARR BRITAIN'S richest Gypsy doesn't shy away from splashing his millions - and his latest lavish holiday was no exception. Alfie Best - whose net worth hit a whopping £745million this year - spent a glamorous week on his £9million superyacht, sailing around Cannes and brushing shoulders with celebs. The property mogul lapped up the luxury lifestyle, enjoying meals cooked by his private chef and taking jet boot lessons from a private tutor he had on board. But his holiday didn't see him switch off from work completely, with the grafter regularly nipping away to take Zoom calls to back home. Alfie's jaw-dropping wealth comes from his residential park homes empire Wyldecrest Parks, which made £32million last year alone. As a well-earned break, he whisked daughter Elizabeth and son Alfie Jr away to Cannes, where his yacht - named Wyldecrest after the firm that made him his fortune - is docked. Alfie told The Sun: "We chartered the yacht around Monaco, Cannes and St Tropez. "I won't lie to you, I was working in the afternoon on Zoom. I really enjoyed sitting down for a really good lunch and dinner. "There's a chef onboard." Not content with staying afloat on the water - Alfie arranged for a private tutor to teach him how to hover in the air on jet-powered boots. His verdict? "Honestly, terrifying," Alfie said. "I'm a bit of a thrill seeker - I can't say I'm a roller coaster person." Alfie spent days touring around the picturesque Bay of Cannes. He added: "We went to Cannes Island - there's a restaurant there that you can only go to if you have a yacht. "I've been there in the past and Elton John was there jamming out. It's very surreal. "I've got two Sea-Doo on the yacht - they're like jet propelled boards that take you underwater and around. "Dolphins were swimming alongside us." Alfie shared a typical day spent on his holiday. "I'd get up around 9am. I then have breakfast upstairs roundabout 9.30am," he said. "Waking up at 9am is quite lazy for me. Then I check my emails to see if any calls need to be done. "Then the boat would take us to shore and we'd explore town for two hours. "Come back go out on Sea-Doos, or take the paddle board. "Sometimes we'd take a donut out and have it pulled by the speedboat we've got with us. "Then at 4pm I do two hours worth of mentoring with other businesses. "I'd spend the afternoon sunbathing, before a 7pm dinner on the yacht upstairs." And Alfie's luxury trip did not come cheap. He added: "To take the yacht out for a week it's around £85,000 - plus fuel and docking it comes to about £100,000." Alfie's yacht is an exclusive Sunseeker 90 Ocean and boasts a watersports speedboat tender and a jetski – both accommodated in the yacht's own submersible dock. On board there is luxury accommodation for eight guests, plus a lounge and swim platform at water level. Photos show a gorgeous dining area suitable for eight people. Glamourous sleeping quarters make for a good night's rest on board with beautiful artwork hanging over the bed. The bathroom is fully kitted out with a window that looks out to sea from the shower. An outdoor seating area gives guests an option to dine to the sound of waves amid the sea air.
The Sun
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Britain's richest gypsy Alfie Best suffers £3m blow as net worth plummets on Rich List
BRITAIN'S richest gypsy Alfie Best has suffered a brutal £3million blow as his net worth plummets on the Rich List. The caravan park titan was worth an estimated £947 million but he has dropped down to £944, according to the Sunday Times Rich List. 4 4 4 The 54-year-old, who founded mobile home company Wyldecrest Parks, is currently number 169 on the Rich List. Last year he and his family were number 174 on the high-profile register, dropping down five places. His whopping wealth climbed by £202 million the year before last - meaning he is well on track to becoming Britain's first Romany Gypsy billionaire. On top of his holiday property empire, Alfie is also the owner of non-league East Thurrock United, which he bought when the semi-pro football club ran into financial trouble during Covid. However, Alfie made the decision to leave the UK and live as a tax exile in Monaco in April 2024. Before moving, he went on a selling spree, selling off eight supercars worth millions and his £4.5million seven-seater Airbus ACH130 helicopter, styled by Aston Martin, which boasts the production number 007 and registration G-YPSE on the fuselage. Alfie now is renting a two-bedroom apartment in Monaco overlooking the famous Formula One course until he gets residency in the millionaires' playground, where residents don't pay tax. The property tycoon describes himself as an 'old-school, blood and blisters businessman'. He did not start his life in immense wealth and was born into a Romani gypsy family. Alfie was born in a caravan beside a road near Leicester on April 12, 1970. By the age of 10 he had started work — selling Tarmac door-to-door with his dad. Britain's richest Gypsy Alfie Best reveals moment at funfair changed his life and set him on track to be multi-millionaire He was a car dealer when he was 17, moving on to selling vans before and mobile phones. The dad-of-two is now the chairman of Wyldecrest Parks — the largest holiday and residential park company in Europe. His company has around 16,000 residents on over 100 sites in the UK, Europe and the US and employs 380 people. His mother Jane Best always believed her son would do well in the future. Jane told The Sun in an exclusive: "When Alfie was a little boy, he come to me and said 'that man got a cracking car over there. It's a big Rolls-Royce. I said 'You know what, you save your money and you'll have a Rolls-Royce one day'.' Alfie definitely heeded his mum's advice, he grew up to be a business tycoon with an empire worth around £1.2 billion. He made on the Rich List last year, earning a spot with 350 other millionaires and billionaires. This year's list marks the largest drop in billionaires in the guide's 37-year history, with just 156 making the list compared to its peak of 177 in 2022. The list reveals the country's 350 richest individuals who share a net worth of £772.8 billion, a three per cent decrease from last year. It evaluates factors including identifiable wealth like land and property, assets like art and racehorses, as well as shares in publicly quoted companies - it doesn't include bank account figures. Reality TV star Georgia Toffolo sits at 12th place in the under-40 list with a shared fortune of £425 million, according to The Sunday Times. The figure combines the estimated wealth of the former Made In Chelsea star, 30, and her husband, BrewDog co-founder James Watt. And pop icon Dua Lipa has become the youngest person on The Sunday Times Rich List 2025. The 29-year-old, who has won several Brit Awards and three Grammys, is 34th on the list, with an estimated wealth of £115 million. Other celebrities who made the list include Harry Kane, Daniel Radcliffe, Ellen Degeneres and Ed Sheeran. David and Victoria Beckham made the list after amassing a net worth of £500 million. Inside Alfie's lavish £100k superyacht holiday BY JEMMA CARR BRITAIN'S richest Gypsy doesn't shy away from splashing his millions - and his latest lavish holiday was no exception. Alfie Best - whose net worth hit a whopping £745million this year - spent a glamorous week on his £9million superyacht, sailing around Cannes and brushing shoulders with celebs. The property mogul lapped up the luxury lifestyle, enjoying meals cooked by his private chef and taking jet boot lessons from a private tutor he had on board. But his holiday didn't see him switch off from work completely, with the grafter regularly nipping away to take Zoom calls to back home. Alfie's jaw-dropping wealth comes from his residential park homes empire Wyldecrest Parks, which made £32million last year alone. As a well-earned break, he whisked daughter Elizabeth and son Alfie Jr away to Cannes, where his yacht - named Wyldecrest after the firm that made him his fortune - is docked. Alfie told The Sun: "We chartered the yacht around Monaco, Cannes and St Tropez. "I won't lie to you, I was working in the afternoon on Zoom. I really enjoyed sitting down for a really good lunch and dinner. "There's a chef onboard." Not content with staying afloat on the water - Alfie arranged for a private tutor to teach him how to hover in the air on jet-powered boots. His verdict? "Honestly, terrifying," Alfie said. "I'm a bit of a thrill seeker - I can't say I'm a roller coaster person." Alfie spent days touring around the picturesque Bay of Cannes. He added: "We went to Cannes Island - there's a restaurant there that you can only go to if you have a yacht. "I've been there in the past and Elton John was there jamming out. It's very surreal. "I've got two Sea-Doo on the yacht - they're like jet propelled boards that take you underwater and around. "Dolphins were swimming alongside us." Alfie shared a typical day spent on his holiday. "I'd get up around 9am. I then have breakfast upstairs roundabout 9.30am," he said. "Waking up at 9am is quite lazy for me. Then I check my emails to see if any calls need to be done. "Then the boat would take us to shore and we'd explore town for two hours. "Come back go out on Sea-Doos, or take the paddle board. "Sometimes we'd take a donut out and have it pulled by the speedboat we've got with us. "Then at 4pm I do two hours worth of mentoring with other businesses. "I'd spend the afternoon sunbathing, before a 7pm dinner on the yacht upstairs." And Alfie's luxury trip did not come cheap. He added: "To take the yacht out for a week it's around £85,000 - plus fuel and docking it comes to about £100,000." Alfie's yacht is an exclusive Sunseeker 90 Ocean and boasts a watersports speedboat tender and a jetski – both accommodated in the yacht's own submersible dock. On board there is luxury accommodation for eight guests, plus a lounge and swim platform at water level. Photos show a gorgeous dining area suitable for eight people. Glamourous sleeping quarters make for a good night's rest on board with beautiful artwork hanging over the bed. The bathroom is fully kitted out with a window that looks out to sea from the shower. An outdoor seating area gives guests an option to dine to the sound of waves amid the sea air. 4
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mobile home park dream turns to 'nightmare'
At a mobile home park owned by a reality television billionaire, residents moved in to "live the dream". Instead, some are now "living a nightmare" as they battle issues with potholes, lighting and water leaks. Willow Park, in Mancot, Flintshire, is owned by Wyldecrest Parks, the company of Alfie Best, who was the subject of TV documentary Gypsy Billionaire. However, its licence for the site was not renewed when it expired in July 2023, and a new licence was also refused on appeal last year. While Wyldecrest said it is "still committed" to carrying out work, residents in the 159 homes say no upkeep is carried out despite them paying a quarterly maintenance fee to the firm. Caravan owner 'felt trapped' by £20,000 sale loss Buyers mis-sold caravans as full-time homes Those that live there simply want someone to take responsibility. "They (the residents) are so fed up of having to fight for basic needs when all they want is a hassle-free life in their later years," said long-term resident Julie Davies. "We have been abandoned... Wyldecrest don't want to know, the council, the Senedd don't want to know. "We've been left in limbo." She said the site was "lovely" when she arrived 17 years ago to care for her elderly parents, but it had seen a "rapid decline". Ms Davies said people had moved to "live the dream," but instead, they are living "a nightmare". Licences for parks are issued by local authorities under the Mobile Homes Act (Wales) 2013. But the sites have to be kept to a certain standard in order to keep them, as well as meeting other criteria. Flintshire council said it refused a residential mobile homes licence to Wyldecrest Parks in October 2024 following complaints from residents regarding conditions on site. It was now awaiting a date for Wyldecrest's appeal of that decision. "The council continues to comply with the directions in respect of the appeal and is working with a legal team to ensure legal compliance is obtained on the site," a spokesperson said. "The council is not in a position to take further legal action until the appeal process is completed and is unable to comment further while the legal process remains ongoing." "We are in a no man's land," is how Jackie Morgan, 68, describes it. "Wyldecrest totally ignore our pleas, and Flintshire council say they won't come on site to help because there's no licence." Ms Morgan cannot take her 94-year-old father out in his wheelchair for fear it will tip over on potholes. She also points to perimeter hedges left overgrown, while empty plots were left unmaintained. The residents are also paying three times what they should for water because of leaks, according to residents' association chairman Ken Pierce, 84. He has been on the site 23 years, and said: "Each home is paying £56.14 a month for water we don't use, it is going through the site meter, but not reaching our homes. We should be paying around £16 a month." In a statement, Welsh Water said the leakage on site must be resolved. It added: "We appreciate the concerns of the residents but this is an issue between them and their landlord as the leakage is occurring on the private part of the water network which Welsh Water does not maintain. "The billing agreement between the tenants and the landlord is a private matter for them." Wyldecrest spokesman David Sunderland, who is the manager for sites including Willow Park, said the company had not been served any compliance notices by Flintshire council and he denied that they had been ignoring residents. "We communicate with all residents," he said, adding: "If anyone has a query, I'll talk to them." He said the company had already been getting quotes for a new water main to be laid and any road resurfacing would take place after that work is complete. The Welsh government said the local authority was best placed to comment on the situation. Wyldcrest's other site in Flintshire, Willow Brook Park in Sandycroft, is also currently without a licence.
BBC News
20-02-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Flintshire mobile home park residents in limbo with no maintenance
At a mobile home park owned by a reality television billionaire, residents moved in to "live the dream".Instead, some are now "living a nightmare" as they battle issues with potholes, lighting and water leaks. Willow Park, in Mancot, Flintshire, is owned by Wyldecrest Parks, the company of Alfie Best, who was the subject of TV documentary Gypsy its licence for the site was not renewed when it expired in July 2023, and a new licence was also refused on appeal last Wyldecrest said it is "still committed" to carrying out work, residents in the 159 homes say no upkeep is carried out despite them paying a quarterly maintenance fee to the firm. Those that live there simply want someone to take responsibility. "They (the residents) are so fed up of having to fight for basic needs when all they want is a hassle-free life in their later years," said long-term resident Julie Davies."We have been abandoned... Wyldecrest don't want to know, the council, the Senedd don't want to know. "We've been left in limbo."She said the site was "lovely" when she arrived 17 years ago to care for her elderly parents, but it had seen a "rapid decline".Ms Davies said people had moved to "live the dream," but instead, they are living "a nightmare". Licences for parks are issued by local authorities under the Mobile Homes Act (Wales) the sites have to be kept to a certain standard in order to keep them, as well as meeting other council said it refused a residential mobile homes licence to Wyldecrest Parks in October 2024 following complaints from residents regarding conditions on was now awaiting a date for Wyldecrest's appeal of that decision."The council continues to comply with the directions in respect of the appeal and is working with a legal team to ensure legal compliance is obtained on the site," a spokesperson said. "The council is not in a position to take further legal action until the appeal process is completed and is unable to comment further while the legal process remains ongoing.""We are in a no man's land," is how Jackie Morgan, 68, describes it. "Wyldecrest totally ignore our pleas, and Flintshire council say they won't come on site to help because there's no licence."Ms Morgan cannot take her 94-year-old father out in his wheelchair for fear it will tip over on potholes. She also points to perimeter hedges left overgrown, while empty plots were left unmaintained. The residents are also paying three times what they should for water because of leaks, according to residents' association chairman Ken Pierce, has been on the site 23 years, and said: "Each home is paying £56.14 a month for water we don't use, it is going through the site meter, but not reaching our homes. We should be paying around £16 a month."In a statement, Welsh Water said the leakage on site must be added: "We appreciate the concerns of the residents but this is an issue between them and their landlord as the leakage is occurring on the private part of the water network which Welsh Water does not maintain."The billing agreement between the tenants and the landlord is a private matter for them." Wyldecrest spokesman David Sunderland, who is the manager for sites including Willow Park, said the company had not been served any compliance notices by Flintshire council and he denied that they had been ignoring residents."We communicate with all residents," he said, adding: "If anyone has a query, I'll talk to them."He said the company had already been getting quotes for a new water main to be laid and any road resurfacing would take place after that work is complete. The Welsh government said the local authority was best placed to comment on the other site in Flintshire, Willow Brook Park in Sandycroft, is also currently without a licence.
