After a few years of throwing lavish parties, Caudwell recentlyembarked on an epic-scale renovation that reportedly ran him an astonishing $85 million. "Now," he says, "if 20:20 (his national distributor) wants to sell to one of the national chains and Phones 4U (his retail chain) wants the product, the decision-making process is purely and simply as to who is the best customer and who's got the contract in place. 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. The fully-kitted out kitchen with high end Gaggenau appliances. Hes currently dating 36-year-old Lithuanian cycling champion and former Olympian Modesta Vzesniauskaite. The second floor has four further bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms. Mr Caudwell, an outspoken Thatcherite, is passionate about that, saying cross-subsidising firms is as bad for a corporation as state-subsidised industry is for a national economy. "The budget has always been irritating, because the budget went up and up and up and we got to this huge budget of where we are now which is over 65 million," says John. John is passionate about property. Broughton Hall, Staffordshire View our online Press Pack. "I arrived first. On the inside I felt the same especially about the staff. These are cookies that are required for the operation of 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. The crucial deadline? He is rolling this out across Europe this year and he is convinced it will become the premier system of its kind worldwide, helping to double the group's turnover within two years. He left school at 16, three months into A-levels in maths, physics and chemistry. ", 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. 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. On the third floor, a former conservatory is a Thai-style dining room with a 15-foot preserved cherry tree and silk pink blossom hanging over the table. "So I bought it, I think it was 87million.". A river filled with handpicked African Cichlid fish flows through the centre of the room. "They'd say, 'Ooh yeah, that's gorgeous, how much is that?'" From offering you easier car maintenance to additional vehicle storage, a home garage car lift is a dream for every Britains Most Expensive Home: Building For a Billionaire, a one-off documentary on Channel 4, followed the highs and lows of his renovation journey. But one of John's favourite features of the house is the car stacker lift, which is visible from within the house through strong glass, keeping his vintage motors on Try it outhere. His first jobs were, variously, sweeping a pottery floor, manhandling steel ingots in a mill, and working as a nightclub bouncer. This was not the answer he was looking for and he indicated that I had to leave the club. The Sun previously revealed the inside some of Britain's most expensive homes, including a Hollywood-style mansion in Hampstead. That was quite a lot to a 10-year-old those days. "It was a scandal the way they treated Rover," he says. I saw all the adults would come back to the minibus and nobody would have sold anything. "And they went for it," he says, with some relish. "Are the police having us on?" Obstacles in his path included an incorrectly installed lava wall and a 500,000 underground car park frame, which was the wrong size by 10mm. He started going to car auctions after working his nightshift at Michelin, buying cheap used cars, tidying them up and selling them on. I told them if they hadn't got the phones they were losing market share. To wind down away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the property boasts an indoor pool with a volcanic lava installation. "That business taught me about the ruthless manipulation of large corporates," he says. John Caudwell The 67-year-old billionaire is the 97th richest person in the U.K., according toThe Sunday Times Rich List. The 250million property boasts eight floors, 15 bedrooms, and a 120-capacity ballroom, which is rumoured to be the largest privately-owned hall in the capital. He sold around 15 cars a week. Why Ed Sheeran is both right and wrong to say most pop songs fit over most other pop songs, Joel Dommett: 'Sienna Miller led me through our sex scene. Instead, he hopes to host charity events for Caudwell Children, a 20-year-old charity he founded dedicated to helping children with disabilities and their families. 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. And an impeccably decorated Thai-themed dining room also steals the spotlight, with stunning blossom trees and a river which a number of the tropical fish Malawi cichlids call home. "If you think having money means that life is going to be fantastic all the time, that you can move from one wonderful thing to the next, then you need to recalibrate," he says. His family was brought up in poverty in a terraced house in Stoke. Sign up for exclusive newsletters, comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events. Iconic high street favourite to return after 4 years as shoppers 'can't wait'. Inside Britain's most expensive home: a 250m mega-mansion in Mayfair. I'm confident we will be one of the biggest mobile telecommunications companies in the world. From here, guests can see the vintage and luxury cars John chooses to display in his car stacker storage. 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. At the time of listing, it was the most expensive detached house on the open market in the UK. "Before I really even understood what the term meant, I wanted to be wealthy," he says. "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. ", Britain's Most Expensive Home: Building For A Billionaire, Wednesday 5February at 9pm on Channel 4, Take a look inside billionaire John Caudwell's 250million mansion home in new Channel 4 documentary, The pair are considering a move to London, Sports Illustrated star Heidi's daughter no longer lives at home, The actress plays DCI Vera Stanhope in the hit show, Police swarmed Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's home after a fan turned up on her doorstep, Fixer Upper star Joanna Gaines has left her fans concerned, Angelina has recently joined The Repair Shop team, The Loose Women star isn't afraid of change. Caudwell has good reason to feel this way. Lee Koffman, head of NW London sales at UK Sothebys International Realty, said: Ultimately its a family house for the mega-rich. All are run as separate companies with distinct management structures. He hit the headlines in April when he launched an internet campaign to save Rover after BMW said it was selling. 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. * Residential & commercial car lift installation services From the glamour of the Cte dAzur to the refined tree-lined streets of Mayfair, the Caudwell style combines the best in global design and craftsmanship. * Fast and affordable car lift installation services, including home and property jobs like repairs, installation, maintenance, and inspection "Wherever there's a business opportunity that marries into what we're doing we'll do it wholeheartedly," says Mr Caudwell. Overall 20,000 sheets of gold leaf are used in the home, at a cost of 28,000. 2021 Associated Newspapers Limited. Ancaster House Each email has a link to unsubscribe. In Mayfair, the wealthy businessman John Caudwell, founder of the retail chain Phones 4u, was also lusting after a home. I told them: 'I've got some really good products here, I'm selling them for charity, it's for the blind, but forget that because they're made from sandalwood, really good products at a really good price'. Man, 20, in critical condition after assault in Beckenham, UK running extra evacuation flight to rescue Britons from Sudan, Islamic State leader killed in Syria, says Turkey, The Kings Coronation Concert to feature a Union Flag-shaped stage, Warning of exceptionally low staffing levels as nurses strike, MasterChef Australia judge Jock Zonfrillo dies aged 46, a secluded Hollywood-style mansion near Hampstead Heath, County lines mum ran selfish sons drugs ring while he was in jail, Coronation allegiance oath in support of King tone deaf, Couple ordered to tear down 80,000 extension in fight with neighbours, Mum says son was too embarrassed to leave killer girlfriend. But one of John's favourite features of the house is the car stacker lift, which is visible from within the house through strong glass, keeping his vintage motors on So could he see that the future for mobile telephony was so bright? Iconic discount shop to shut its doors next month - is your local affected? It's just an instinct, I know that's the way to do it.". Mr Caudwell is married, with three children aged 20, 12 and five, and he is the local co-ordinator for the NSPCC and the founder of a children's charity. 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. He says relationships between his companies are often worse than external relations with, ostensibly, rival companies, which he says is "very healthy", adding: "A protected practice of any sort can't win. 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. The retailer was selling phones for 1,600 each, and two for 1,350. Apparently The Reform does not allow trainer footwear". We use cookies to give you the best online experience. John Caudwell He purchased the property for 87million, but it is estimated to be worth over twice the amount after the new renovations have been completed. Although Alta Vista's much-trumpeted announcement that it was doing the same came a few days before, Mr Caudwell's company had run trials last year, and launched its service when the American company was still planning its free launch. PHONES4U billionaire John Caudwell has shown off Britains most expensive home worth 250million after he merged two mansions together. With the work now finished, it is estimated to be worth around 250 million. Rufus, a 20-year-old musician the youngest of his three children with his first wife was finally, after years of problems, diagnosed with Lyme disease in February. A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers that we store on your browser or the hard drive of your computer if you agree. Phones4U billionaire John Caudwell shows off Britains most Affordable Car Lift Installation in the Arizona area "The site was just unbelievable," the dad-of-six said. 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. These are used to recognise you when you return to our website. "Sometimes," he says, "when I look out of the window in winter and it's dark and two degrees above freezing and sleeting, I hesitate. The London property is mainly used for his charity - Caudwell Children, which supports disabled children and their families. The luxury pad, located in London's Mayfair, is a billionaire's paradise with its own bar and cinema. Every time I went back to the minibus I had sold my entire allocation, for 5, and I got 1 commission. CL. See more images from the magnificent home below: JUNE 4-8: A California luxury road rally like no other. John Caudwell, 57, founder of Phones 4U, sold the company along with 20:20 Distribution in September 2006 for a combined sum of 1.64bn. According to the Sunday Times Rich List in 2021, John is worth 1.566 billion and is the UK's 103rd wealthiest person. Both buildings form a single site and are linked at the basement level. "That taught me a lot. ", Britains Most Expensive Home: Building for a Billionaire aired on Channel 4 at 9pm on 5 February. ", So how did he succeed where the others failed? But if youre going to make before-and-after property porn, dont try and claim its all forcharity. There's also a sauna for relaxing those tired muscles. Cookies contain information that is transferred to your computer's hard drive. One quickly gets the impression that Mr Caudwell is utterly, unstoppably determined in everything he sets out to do. 12 The sprawling 250million mansion is owned by Phones 4 U founder John Caudwell Credit: CHANNEL 4 PICTURE PUBLIC 12 Designers Adam Architecture were briefed to come up with a traditionally British house that might be mistaken for having been there 200 years. The businessman even has a lavish cinema room that has been kitted out with all the amenities for a movie night. In a few years this would grow into MPRC, the UK's biggest such enterprise. 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".