Caravan Owners Claim They Are 'Trapped' at Holiday Park Owned by 'Gypsy Billionaire'
Families with caravans on a park owned by 'Gypsy Billionaire' Alfie Best have asserted they are 'trapped' on the site, which they allege has been left to fall into severe disrepair. Multiple owners at Seaview Holiday Park in Sennen, Cornwall, report that their investment in a mobile home is now worth little more than the paper their contract was written on.
This situation emerges amid a broader trend where caravan owners across the country have reported losing life savings or inheritance money after purchasing mobile homes, only to see their value plummet within months.
Dream Investment Turns into a 'Nightmare'
Debbie and Stan Mularczyk, from Somerset, purchased a caravan for £32,000 at Seaview Holiday Park in 2022, using money from her father's inheritance. The park is operated by Mr Best's Wyldecrest Holiday Parks company. The couple intended to spend more time in Cornwall during retirement and generate extra income by renting out the mobile home when not in use.
They claimed they were promised the ability to resell the caravan in the future and that the site owner planned to invest £5 million to transform the park into a luxury destination. However, their dream rapidly deteriorated into what they describe as a 'nightmare'. The site quickly became a 'bomb site', with extortionate annual site fees charged and their caravan's value dropping to nearly nothing.
'The caravans on the website look great and the site shows all the bells and whistles,' Debbie stated. 'But there are none. We love the location but the site is dilapidated. There are utility cables sticking out of the ground. The children's play area has just two items left and the pitch and putt is broken.'
She added that they are charged fees of £6,000 a year, and there has been no manager on site since October, leading to concerns about health and safety regarding antisocial behaviour. 'It's just a bomb site. The historical photos are still used to advertise today but it looks nothing like the photos from years ago.'
Restrictive Contracts and Broken Promises
Debbie explained that before buying, they asked numerous questions about resale and were reassured by the then manager that it was a solid investment with no risk, allowing sale at any time. 'This was supposed to be a legacy from my dad who grew up around here and we'd own our little bit of Cornwall. But it's turned out to be a nightmare.'
Paul and Tracey Chambers bought a static caravan at the site after their son died in a car crash and they lost their pub business following Covid. A few years later, after the site fell into disrepair, Paul claimed he was told the home was worth just £1,000, only for that offer to be rescinded. The couple were informed they couldn't even sell it on the open market due to a tiny clause in their contract prohibiting such sales.
In an email to Mr Best shared with CornwallLive, the couple expressed their dismay: 'We thought we deserved and needed this when we saw the advert for purchasing a static caravan and pretty much put together all our savings. We purchased the caravan, paid the site/ground fees and wanted to live the dream. Unfortunately it's gone from bad to worse.'
Paul further noted: 'We were initially promised back in September 2022 that the site clubhouse would be open within weeks of our purchase. Two years later and it was still not open.'
Widespread Frustration and Legal Action
Several families have voiced similar frustrations, stating they are now 'stuck' at the park and unable to resell their caravans. Some owners reported being told they cannot sell their mobile homes because they are over 10 years old, despite purchasing them when they were already 12 years old.
Dave Coates, who bought his caravan in 2020 as a holiday let, found himself unable to sell after his children grew up and no longer wanted to visit. 'When we bought the caravan, we were told that because of its age we would have to either sell it back to the park or sell it through them. We had no choice,' he said. 'But now we're trying to sell it, there's no-one to be seen. It's very frustrating.'
Five caravan owners, including Debbie and Stan, have sought legal advice with the intention of taking Wyldecrest to court over alleged mis-selling. Paul Chambers supports this action, stating: 'All I want, and I am sure the other static caravan owners want, is reimbursement. A lot of static caravan owners here, like us, put all they had into this as an investment and now are being treated like this.'
Laura Leftley, another caravan owner, echoed these sentiments: 'It's been really hard. I viewed other sites and wish I had chosen differently. But a promise was sold and to this day nothing they have promised has come to fruition.'
Wyldecrest's Response and Site Conditions
On its website, Wyldecrest promotes its holiday parks as 'premier holiday parks with spectacular views', designed to help visitors unwind. However, many holidaymakers have posted scathing reviews on sites like PitchUp and TripAdvisor. One reviewer, Lisa F, commented in September last year: 'The facilities were an absolute disgrace. The toilets were mouldy, smelly and completely outdated... The whole site just looked neglected and run down.'
Nick Heywood, head of holiday parks at Wyldecrest, responded to the allegations. He stated that the Sennen site was recently inspected by Cornwall Council regarding its licence, and the local authority found no issues. He insisted there has been significant investment in the site, and it does not resemble a 'bomb site'.
Mr Heywood outlined improvements made since Wyldecrest took over, including installing 14 new concrete bases, clearing nearly 100 unfit caravans, bringing in 22 new units, updating electrics, installing a new laundrette, and adding wi-fi. He acknowledged that the play park and crazy golf are not at their best but plans to remove and rebuild them within six weeks.
Regarding resale complaints, he said: 'Every sale is taken on its own individual basis. Owners have a licence agreement which state the rules about what they can and can't sell. There will be an age restriction for caravans, but with that in mind we can communicate with owners on a one-to-one basis and can consider it.'
Background on Alfie Best and Wyldecrest
Alfie Best founded Wyldecrest Parks in 2001 with the purchase of Lakeview Residential Park in Romford, Essex, marking the start of his mobile home park empire. In 2024, he told the Mail that his net worth is into 10 figures, and he has moved to Monte Carlo, stating he does not plan to return to Britain due to preferring economies more supportive of business and entrepreneurs.
The Daily Mail has contacted Wyldecrest Holiday Parks for further comment on these allegations.
