How a South African Billionaire’s Luxury Hotel Sparked Tension in Somerset

South African billionaire Koos Bekker has acquired more than 2,700 acres across Bruton and Castle Cary in Somerset, transforming local properties into part of a sprawling luxury estate centered around his hotel, The Newt, The Guardian reported.

Expansion Across Somerset Villages

Bekker bought the 17th-century manor Hadspen House in 2013 with 16 acres, converting it into a luxury hotel that charges up to £800 a night. Last year, he expanded the hospitality footprint by acquiring Yarlington Lodge, a Grade II-listed Georgian house featuring a pool, tennis court, and cinema room.

Through his company Emily Estate (UK) Limited, trading as The Newt, the Naspers chair has also bought high street businesses, including a deli, a beauty parlour, former farmhouses, and local pubs. High-profile residents in the area include fashion designer Stella McCartney, former chancellor George Osborne, and broadcaster Mariella Frostrup.

Rising Living Costs and Local Discontent

The influx of wealth has driven up local prices, creating friction with longtime residents. While The George pub in Castle Cary still serves senior citizens a hot dinner for £12, a bottle of estate-grown cider costs £12.50 at the farm shop, and a bag of chocolate buttons is priced at £11.95.

Branding deals tied to the estate have also sparked backlash. The local train station sign now reads Castle Cary for the Newt, and a Creamery cafe serves afternoon tea in a vintage Pullman carriage for £45 a head. Food writer Hugh Thomas described the station renaming as arrogant and brazen, adding that the transport hub feels somewhat colonised by the Newt.

Environmental and Agricultural Concerns

Local farmers and residents have raised concerns over environmental impacts, including pesticide use on estate farmland and drilling boreholes that neighbors claim have dried up sections of the River Brue. Cider-maker Oliver Dowding, a neighbor of the estate, said he has entered negotiations with the hotel via the Environment Agency.

Villagers also formed a group to coordinate complaints regarding flooding. Writer Emma Craigie stated that incidents of flooding in her village below the hill became exacerbated by road building and hardcore use by the estate. In May 2023, the local council declared an emergency after severe rain caused flash-flooding down the Pitt and Cam valleys.

Corporate Philosophy and Community Defense

A spokesperson for the hotel defended the operation, emphasizing a commitment to the local economy and environment.

Fundamental to our philosophy is a love of gardens, respect for the land and a determination to share that passion with a broad audience. To ensure best practice, we employ experts across our operations, including agronomists, horticulturists, arborists, conservationists, educationalists, beekeepers, nutritionists, livestock and wildlife specialists, alongside our hospitality teams.

A spokesperson for the Newt in Somerset

The estate also highlighted its workforce of more than 650 people who live or originate locally, balancing the ongoing local debates over land use and rural transformation.