Latest news with #MartinRoberts
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Homes Under The Hammer star Martin Roberts forced to deny he wants to turn renovated pub into a lap-dancing club
has been forced to deny he is turning a dilapidated pub into a lap dancing club amid budgeting and building woes on the renovation project. The Homes Under The Hammer presenter has previously admitted to struggling with the transformation of Hendrewen Hotel in the Rhondda Valley, South Wales. Martin has been hit with a string of glitches since shelling out a reported £200,000 for the pub and budgeting £500,000 for the makeover - and work has been ongoing at the site for more than two years. But the 61-year-old said the delays have sent the local rumour mill spinning - with suggestions he has given up on the project in the village of Blaencwm and is planning something very different to a pub renovation. Martin said: 'As things go on, rumours start to get rife so we have to put paid to them now - one is that it's being sold, but I am not selling it, I'm not turning it into a lap dancing club and I'm not turning it into flats! He said: 'The biggest challenge has been getting it back together, all structurally sound, and it had 150 years of stuff to strip away. It took a lot longer than we thought it would. 'One wall was held up by a piece of steel, which was supported by a bit of wood, which was supported by a final bit of wood that was holding up everything - and it was a rotten piece of timber about an inch thick!' Martin said many of the delays had been caused by issues around planning permission and ensuring other regulations were met as the building was stripped back. He says: 'It's not the doing it, it's not the ideas, it's not the enthusiasm and having a great team - it's often the extra things you have to do in terms of planning and regulations because it's going to be a place of public use. 'It means you have to adhere to a thousand billion more rules and regulations and it quite rightly covers everything and it takes forever. 'It's frustrating because I wanted to be further along but it has to be done. But we will get there.' Martin insisted he wants the hotel to have individually-themed bedrooms based on popular TV shows such as Doctor Who or Top Gear and even Homes Under the Hammer, and wants the restaurant's food to rival top eateries elsewhere. He said: 'I want it to be somewhere special, not be over-priced but it will be a place where you'll want to come for a special occasion and I think the Valleys deserve that. 'Why shouldn't it be as good as anything you find in Cardiff, London or The Cotswolds? I want people to walk through the door and go, 'I can't believe this is here, because you could be in Bourton-On-The-Water!' 'I will put in lots of memorabilia which I've gathered, but also decorated in [a particular] style. 'So the Fawlty Towers [room] will have wallpaper peeling off, shelves that are breaking, flock bedspreads and very old fashioned fittings. The 61-year-old said the delays have sent the local rumour mill spinning - but denied he was selling the property or turning it into a lap dancing club 'I've actually got a life-sized cut out of Tom Baker - my era - and I'm currently negotiating on buying a 1970s Dalek. 'The only good thing about any delays is that it means I came up with extra ideas, like the bedrooms. I didn't think of that at the start. It's a big project, there's lots to think about. 'I might give some of the bedrooms to one interior designer to play with. I've been collecting lots of relevant memorabilia and collectables and we've got some great designs already, but I'd quite like to give younger people a chance to come in and do the Doctor Who bedroom, do the Question of Sport bedroom with a little bit of their spin on it..' Martin has formerly admitted that he didn't tell wife Kirsty about the 'accidental' purchase of the pub - situated near to his farmhouse in South Wales - until after it was complete. The purchase came just after Martin suffered a health scare a year earlier in 2022 when his heart, kidney and liver failed. He was hospitalised with chest pains that he mistook for long COVID, but doctors told Martin he was suffering from pericardial effusion, a build-up of fluid in the structure around the heart. Martin had to have surgery and was ultimately 'given a second chance at life' thanks to the incredible work of surgeons. The renovation will be documented in a ten-part series called Oops! I Bought A Pub, which will be shown on ITV next year - or whenever the pub finally opens.
Daily Mirror
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Homes Under the Hammer's Martin Roberts says 'I failed on every level'
Homes Under The Hammer presenter Martin Roberts has been working to transform a rural Welsh pub into a tourist destination, but the building is still in dire need of renovation Homes Under the Hammer star Martin Roberts openly confessed to hitting rock bottom in his latest endeavour, as he struggles with the mammoth task of converting a down-at-heel Welsh pub into a holiday hotspot. Currently faced with the enormous challenge of refurbishing the rural Hendrewen Hotel in Rhondda Valley, the premises are far from ready, with parts of the building close to collapse. Once confident that a two-year timeline and a £500,000 budget would suffice to revive the eight-bedroom inn, 61 year old Roberts now finds himself dealing with major delays two years into the renovation. Speaking to The Sun, he shared: "I'm still smiling but, oh my word, what a challenge it's been." He candidly admitted: "I'll be honest, it's the first commercial property I've ever done. There have been lots of residential houses and flats, but commercial properties have a lot more complications." Roberts estimates that the project is about "60%" complete and remains optimistic that the work will "come together really quickly" as he approaches the home stretch. His goal is to have the doors open by next Easter at the absolute latest, subject to overcoming hurdles such as planning permission related to local flood risks. The TV personality recounted the numerous obstacles he's encountered, saying there were "lots of hoops to jump through", and initially finding the building plagued by slanted walls, collapsing windows, and bats roosting in a leaking roof, reports the Express. In a surprising twist, Roberts revealed he hadn't even shared the news with his wife Kirsty about purchasing the dilapidated pub while in Wales recuperating from a heart operation. The local watering hole is set to become the star of a ten-part ITV documentary series next year, cheekily titled Oops! I Bought A Pub. Taking inspiration from Jeremy Clarkson, plans are afoot to dangle a Rolls-Royce upside down from the dining room ceiling, mirroring the chrome tractor feature at Jeremy's establishment, The Farmer's Dog. Guests will have the chance to stay in one of the venue's eight uniquely themed bedrooms, each named after different TV shows and designed with an "individual feel". There's also a new bar and restaurant in the works for the property. The pub aims to bring about 30 jobs to the area, including a teaching kitchen where celebrity chefs will impart their knowledge to the youth. And for those with musical aspirations, there will be a stage area to showcase their talents.
Wales Online
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Homes Under the Hammer star admits 'I have failed' in sad announcement
Homes Under the Hammer star admits 'I have failed' in sad announcement Homes Under the Hammer star Martin Roberts has been facing huge setbacks on his new project. Homes Under the Hammer presenter Martin Roberts confessed to a crushing defeat in his latest endeavour, stating he has "failed on every single level". He is currently attempting to transform a rural Welsh pub, the Hendrewen Hotel in the Rhondda Valley, into a tourist attraction. However, two years into the project, the building remains in a dire state, with the rear of the property crumbling. Initially, Martin estimated the renovation would take two years and £500,000 to complete, but he has since faced numerous setbacks with the eight-bedroom property. In an interview with The Sun, the 61-year-old explained: "I'm still smiling but, oh my word, what a challenge it's been." Homes Under the Hammer star admits 'I have failed' in sad announcement (Image: ITV ) Article continues below Race Across the World stars Sioned and Fin share relationship update after almost calling it quits READ MORE: Martin admitted that this is his first commercial property renovation, and the process has been far more complicated than his previous residential projects. He believes he is approximately 60% of the way through the renovation, and is hopeful that the final stages will progress quickly, with the aim of opening the property by next Easter. However, the star is currently navigating the complexities of planning permissions due to the risk of flooding in the area, reports the Express. The BBC star has brought a pub in Wales (Image: BBC ) Martin described the numerous hurdles he is facing, stating there are "lots of hoops to jump through". When he first purchased the property, it was in a state of disrepair, with "cock-eyed" walls, "every single window falling down", and bats nesting in the leaky roof. Notably, Martin did not even inform his wife Kirsty that he had bought the derelict pub while he was recovering from a heart operation in Wales. The pub will be the focus of a ten-part ITV documentary series next year, titled Oops! I Bought A Pub. The star's renovation journey will features in a ITV documentary series (Image: BBC ) Taking inspiration from Jeremy Clarkson, there are plans to suspend a Rolls-Royce upside down from the ceiling in the dining room, mirroring Jeremy's pub The Farmer's Dog which has a chrome tractor suspended from its roof. The establishment's eight bedrooms will be available for guests, each named after TV shows and designed with a unique feel. There are also plans for a new bar and restaurant within the property. The pub aims to employ around 30 local individuals, and will feature a teaching kitchen where celebrity chefs can impart their knowledge to the younger generation. Additionally, it will include a stage area for aspiring musicians to showcase their talent. Article continues below Homes Under the Hammer is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Daily Mirror
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Homes Under The Hammer star 'failed on every level' with £500k pub rennovation
Martin Roberts has admitted he drastically underestimated the time and cost of his latest project, with his deadline of two years up and half a million spent on a derelict pub Homes Under The Hammer star Martin Roberts admits he has "failed on every level", after he underestimated how challenging it would be to renovate a derelict South Wales pub. The former I'm A Celebrity contestant, 61, bought the Hendrewen Hotel in Rhondda in 2023, and invested half a million to revamp the rundown boozer. Not far from his own farmhouse, renovation guru Martin wanted to help the local community, which he said had "lost their heart". But he has now admitted he had completely misjudged how much time and money it would take. Having originally estimated it could be done in two years at the cost of £500,000, Martin has already gone over his deadline and the makeover is nowhere near finished. He admits it has been 'challenging', and has only been motivated to get through thanks to his team of 15-17 year olds, who have been working with his tradesmen. Martin hoped it would give them practical skills to use when they leave education, having chosen a pub in one of the most deprived areas in the country. The reality TV star wanted to give the kids a "step up the ladder" to help them get jobs when they finish, as well as planning to employ 30 locals when his project is finally complete. Speaking to the Sun, Martin explained how he felt like he'd failed. He told the paper: "For a man who spends all his time telling people to make sure they stick to their budgets and timescales, I have failed on every single level. "I'm still smiling but, oh my word, what a challenge it's been, I'll be honest, it's the first commercial property I've ever done. There have been lots of residential houses and flats, but commercial properties have a lot more complications, I'd say we are 60 per cent there." Martin's vision for his hotel includes an eight-bedroom establishment, with each of the rooms having a television theme. He plans to have Fawlty Towers, A Question of Sport and Homes Under The Hammer themed accommodations, paying homage to the show he's presented for more than 20 years. The TV star previously told WalesOnline: "I often act a bit on gut instinct, and possibly don't always tell my wife because sometimes I think there's a danger I will be talked out of things because they appear daft on the surface, I only sort of mention it when it's too late!' He added: 'I've never run a pub, I've never run a restaurant, and I've never run a hotel. So, hey, what could possibly go wrong?!" Martin's idea for his new venture came after he had emergency surgery and suffered a terrifying health scare after he suffered chest pains. He thought he had COVID, but when he was hospitalised, medics told him he had pericardial effusion - a build up of fluid around his heart. Doctors warned him that he could only have hours to live if he didn't go in for the op. He told Metro: "It was a bit of an eye-opener to be honest, being three hours from death, that's always going to ruin your day. "I was told to slow down and really take things easy… so I bought a pub which needed complete renovating and which I've got try and run, having no experience of running a pub, restaurant or a hotel. It suddenly makes you realise how fragile we all are in lots of ways."
Daily Mail
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Homes Under The Hammer star Martin Roberts, 61, admits he's 'failed on every level' on major refurbishment project - after getting a 'second chance at life' following health scare
Martin Roberts has admitted he's 'failed on every level' in his attempt to turn around an out-of-use pub in the Rhondda Valley. The Homes Under The Hammer star, 61, purchased the Hendrewen Hotel in Blaencwm, Rhondda, in 2023 and planned to inject £500,000 to give the boozer a complete makeover. Situated not far from Martin's farmhouse in South Wales, the renovation expert wanted to bring bark a spark to a community which had 'lost their heart'. He'd estimated that the half-a-million would be enough for works to be complete in around two years, but after that exact amount of time, the makeover is far from finished. In fact the eight-bedroom property looks the exact same, with the presenter admitting he's 'failed on every level'. Martin told The Sun: 'For a man who spends all his time telling people to make sure they stick to their budgets and timescales, I have failed on every single level. 'I'm still smiling but, oh my word, what a challenge it's been, I'll be honest, it's the first commercial property I've ever done. 'There have been lots of residential houses and flats, but commercial properties have a lot more complications, I'd say we are 60 per cent there.' One of the many hold-ups which he has encountered has been dealing with planners who insist he prepares for possible floods. Helping Martin power through the many obstacles he's overcome to get to this point have been a host of young locals. The presenter has a group Welsh teens aged between 15 to 17 working with his tradesmen, learning various practical skills they can use after school. Given his boozer is located in one of the country's most deprived areas, Martin hopes he can give the children 'a step up the ladder' and help them gain employment. With the pub now months away from completion, the former I'm A Celeb star is aiming to have around 30 locals employed when it 'hopefully' opens later this year. Martin is designing the Hendrewen so that each of its eight bedrooms has a different theme, all centred around television. He's planning to have a Fawlty Towers room, A Question of Sport room and - of course - an offering centred around Homes Under The Hummer - a show's he's presented for more than two decades. Martin purchased the pub in South Wales after suffering a health scare a year earlier in 2022 when his heart, kidney and liver failed. He was hospitalised with chest pains that he mistook for long COVID, but doctors told Martin he was suffering from pericardial effusion, a build-up of fluid in the structure around the heart. He had to have surgery and was ultimately 'given a second chance at life' thanks to the incredible work of surgeons. In December 2024 Martin issued a worrying update on his health, revealing he fears he doesn't have much longer left. Speaking to MailOnline, he said that he still gets twinges in his chest that cause him to panic. He explained that he doesn't 'know how long he has left' and is trying to do as much good in the world as possible. 'The physical side of things took a lot longer than we thought to get around,' the father-of-two said. 'I still get twinges and every single time I get a twinge in my chest, I panic. As anyone who has had any kind of problems with their heart would attest to it.' Martin continued: 'It sends you into a flurry of worry because they only sort of dribble out these stories afterwards. 'It was like I went to see the the consultant who did the emergency operation, and I said to him, "so how long would I have survived?" 'He said, "well, you probably wouldn't have made it through the night. So it was just as well I was on duty... you probably had maybe two or three hours to live." 'That was two to three hours from dying and not being here and not seeing the kids anymore and not fulfilling all my ambitions and doing all the things I want to do. 'So that's sort of the psychological side of that. It takes a lot longer to get over than the physical side. 'I was told I need to slow down and take things easy and all that kind of stuff, and I've gone a completely other way. 'This is why I've got this project in Wales where I'm renovating a pub, for the community, and we're using local kids to do the work and bringing kids who are disengaged and disadvantaged, giving them a chance to get construction skills. 'Just doing lots of good. I don't know how much time I've got left, so I just want to do as much as I possibly can to help.
