Branson toughs it out on his isle
ECCENTRIC billionaire Richard Branson (inset below) will tough out the worst of Hurricane Irma in his wine cellar as the storm churns its way through his Caribbean resort. The Category 5 hurricane — the second strongest ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean — is expected to bring 185-mph winds to Branson’s Necker Island, which is among the British Virgin Islands. “We have just experienced a night of howling wind and rain as Hurricane Irma edges ever closer towards us on Necker and the British Virgin Islands,” the 67-year-old wrote in a Wednesday blog post. The Virgin companies founder previously announced he planned to stay on the island — just like he had for Hurricanes Earl and Otto.