Blown to smithereens... Branson’s island idyll
SURROUNDED by debris and fallen trees, Sir Richard Branson surveys the trail of destruction left by Hurricane Irma on his private island.
The British tycoon and his staff took shelter in the wine cellar of his Great House as the category five hurricane ripped through Necker Island.
In pictures shared by the billionaire businessman yesterday, the usually exotic beaches of white sand and the turquoise sea looked bleak with debris from buildings scattered across the surf.
Sir Richard’s video of the devastation on the island shows that almost all the contents have been blown out of the luxurious Necker Island Beach House.
Only the structure is left of the building, which was previously filled with beds, sofas and a bar. A flat-screen TV is hanging off the wall.
One of the three-storey guest buildings has also been badly damaged. The top roof has blown away and a bed, which may in the past have greeted newlywed couples can be seen upside down in the dirt.
Boats were snapped in half by the hurricane.
Sir Richard, 67, said: ‘Much of the buildings and vegetation on Necker has been destroyed or badly damaged.
‘We felt the full force of the strongest hurricane ever in the Atlantic Ocean. But we are very fortunate to have a strong cellar built into Necker’s Great House and were very lucky all of our teams who stayed on Island during the storm are safe and well.’
Sir Richard bought 74- acre Necker Island when he was 28 for around £90,000 and has spent an estimated £7.6million transforming the uninhabited land into a luxury resort and home for his family. The island, part of the British Virgin Islands, can be rented for £60,000 per night
The father- of-two likened the destruction to that felt by Europe at the end of the Second World War, calling for a ‘Disaster Recovery Marshall Plan’ to help British Virgin Islands residents.
The Marshall Plan was a programme which saw the US send $13billion of aid to Western Europe from 1948 to 1951 to help rebuild everything from homes to transport systems. Writing on his blog, Sir Richard said: ‘The UK government will have a massive role to play in the recovery of its territories affected by Irma – both through short-term aid and longterm infrastructure spending.
‘The region needs a “Disaster Recovery Marshall Plan” for the BVI [British Virgin Islands] and other territories that will aid in recovery, sustainable reconstruction and long-term revitalisation of the local economy.’
The Virgin boss, who is worth around £3.8billion, has now gone to Puerto Rico to try to ‘mobilise aid efforts’ because communications are still down on the islands which have been belted by the ‘ ferocious and unforgiving’ storm.
At least 28 people were killed when the storm battered the Caribbean. Five of them died on the British Virgin Islands.
Princess Diana, the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry are just some of the famous faces who have visited Sir Richard on the remote island, which can sleep a maximum of 34 people.
In 2011 Hurricane Irene hit Necker Island and lightning struck Branson’s house, resulting in the property becoming engulfed in flames. Around 20 people were forced to flee the eight-bedroom home including actress Kate Winslet, who saved Sir Richard’s mother Eve, then 88.
‘Fortunate to have a strong cellar’