When South African billionaire Koos Bekker bought an old country estate in a quiet corner of Somerset to turn it into a luxury hotel, locals saw it as a sign their area was on the rise. Walking through his peaceful, manicured gardens—where apple trees are trained into perfect shapes using the espalier method—it’s easy to feel that all is well in this quiet, picturesque part of England. But step beyond the orchards and into the local pubs, where the local cider gets people talking, and you’ll hear a very different story.
Bekker has become embroiled in a dispute with local people over a range of issues, from the vast expansion of his estate to his use of pesticides and branding deals—described by one local as “brazen”—which have led to the local train station being named after his hotel, the Newt in Somerset.
The businessman has a net worth of about £3bn and is chair of Naspers, one of the world’s biggest technology firms. He has been buying thousands of acres around Bruton and Castle Cary—more than 2,700 acres (1,090 hectares), according to Guardian analysis—through his company Emily Estate (UK) Limited, which trades as the Newt.
Along with large stretches of countryside, Bekker has also snapped up high street businesses, from a deli to a beauty parlour, as well as pretty former farmhouses and local pubs.
It is this expansion of Bekker’s influence beyond the boundaries of the Newt—beloved by celebrities such as Charli xcx and Kate Moss—into the heart of the local Somerset villages that has begun to cause tensions.
Bekker is not the only wealthy newcomer in this corner of Somerset. The area is home to famous residents including former chancellor George Osborne, fashion designer Stella McCartney, and broadcaster Mariella Frostrup.
The George pub in the centre of Castle Cary currently serves senior citizens a hot dinner for just £12, but locals do not expect these prices to last now that the Newt has bought the inn: a bag of chocolate buttons in its farm shop costs £11.95, while a bottle of “cyder” grown on the estate is £12.50.
Bekker bought the 17th-century manor Hadspen House in 2013, along with 16 acres of land, and converted it into the luxury hotel. Last year he acquired Yarlington Lodge, a Grade II-listed Georgian house a mile away, and converted it into a 32-guest property with its own pool, tennis court and cinema room.
He is hardly a silent investor—the sign for the local train station, Castle Cary, now reads “Castle Cary for the Newt”. By the tracks is the new Creamery cafe, which serves afternoon tea in a vintage Pullman carriage at £45 a head.
Hugh Thomas, a food writer from Frome, said the renaming of the station seemed “arrogant and brazen”, adding: “The station does feel somewhat colonised by the Newt regardless, which I find an encroaching thing, given it is supposed to be a public service.”
Some, though, have welcomed the investment, saying it has cheered up a previously unloved train station and that the Bekker family are creating jobs as well as bringing new people to the area to eat in the restaurants and drink in the pubs.
Visitors to the £800-a-night Newt hotel are invited to enjoy being immersed in the nature of deep Somerset. The hotel recently welcomed a cage of endangered red squirrels. But there, too, lay a problem. The Newt consulted rewilding expert Derek Gow about keeping five red squirrels in a pen. They became extinct in most of EnglandAfter invasive grey squirrels were introduced from America, they brought a virus that causes squirrelpox, which kills red squirrels. Gow said: “The Newt did talk to me about it; we had one conversation. I said: ‘It is not going to be viable.’ It is performative – [the squirrels] are in the cage to show guests. That’s it. Keeping five squirrels in a cage does nothing for wildlife. If they do release them, they will just get squirrelpox and die.”
While the Newt has created spectacular gardens around the hotel, including a historically accurate Roman villa, a “four seasons” garden with marble water fountains, and a treetop walkway, these are not freely open to the public. Only hotel guests and those with an £85 annual pass can enter the grounds.
People living nearby have also been concerned that flooding has increased since the Newt was built. The hotel has acknowledged this and has been digging pools to hold run-off water from the farm and paved areas. Local people have set up a group to coordinate complaints about the issue. Emma Craigie, a writer who lives nearby, said: “I live in a village below the hill the Newt is on. In our immediate area there were incidents of flooding that seemed clearly made worse by their road building and use of hardcore.”
The worst incident was in May 2023, when rain over the Newt caused flash flooding down the Pitt and Cam valleys, which the local council described as “beyond levels seen in living memory.” The local authority declared an emergency that evening. Villagers have also set up a petition against the spraying of pesticides on the Newt’s farmland.
The model and actor Gabriella Wilde, who also lives locally, said: “I was surprised and a little disappointed to learn that they are using such harmful chemicals in their farming operations. That is certainly not the image they project to their guests and local fans. Is it really necessary, especially given how many local farms are making great strides in moving away from old school harmful practices, and towards more nature friendly farming?”
Farmers have suspected that new boreholes drilled by the hotel have dried up sections of the River Brue, the stream that Bruton is named after. The cider-maker Oliver Dowding, the hotel’s next-door neighbour, has entered negotiations with the Newt via the Environment Agency over his section of the river, which runs through his land. He said, ironically, that the newts which used to live on his land had disappeared.
Though the Newt boasts that its food is “locally produced,” its farms do not have organic certification. John Sykes, who lives nearby, pointed to the severely trimmed hedges around the estate as well as the sterile lawns. “Look, there are no berries for the birds here. And what bothers me is the land immediately next to our village used to be an organic farm, now they’ve bought it, and it isn’t any more. They are continuing to buy farmland, and I don’t know when they will stop. I don’t want to live somewhere that’s just one man’s estate,” Sykes said.
A spokesperson for the Newt in Somerset said: “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. We are equally committed to our local community, maintaining close relationships with local organisations and proudly employing more than 650 people, who are either from or live wwithin the local area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs based on the scenario of a South African billionaire buying up a corner of Somerset to create a personal estate
Beginner Questions
Who is the South African billionaire buying land in Somerset
The billionaire is reportedly Stephen Saad a pharmaceutical tycoon He is one of South Africas wealthiest individuals and has been purchasing large tracts of land in the English countryside
What exactly is he buying
He is buying up multiple farms parcels of land and properties in a specific area of Somerset The goal is to combine them into one massive private estate
Why is he doing this
The reported reasons are privacy investment and lifestyle He wants to create a legacy estate for his family away from the public eye with full control over the surrounding landscape
What is a one mans estate
It is a phrase used to describe a situation where a single wealthy individual owns so much land in one area that they effectively control the local landscape housing and sometimes even the local community
Is this legal
Yes In the UK you can buy land and property as long as you follow planning laws and regulations There is no law against one person owning a large amount of land
Intermediate Questions
How much land has he bought so far
Reports suggest he has acquired thousands of acres across several farms in Somerset The exact total is not publicly confirmed but it is significant enough to reshape the local area
What are the benefits for him
He gets total privacy a beautiful natural environment the ability to farm or manage the land as he wishes and a longterm asset for his family It is also a status symbol
What are the common problems with this kind of land accumulation
Local residents often worry about
Loss of affordable housing if properties are taken off the market
Reduced public access to footpaths and countryside
The area becoming a ghost village with fewer permanent residents
A single owner having too much influence over local decisions
How does this affect local people
It can push up house prices reduce the number of homes available for locals and change the character of the community Some residents may feel their village is being taken over
What is the Somerset angle Why there
Somerset is known for its beautiful countryside quiet villages and proximity to cities
