AS passengers pull into this quaint Somerset town, they might notice something unusual about its signage.
The words ‘Castle Cary: For The Newt’ tell weary travellers they’ve arrived on the doorstep of £900-a-night upmarket country hotel owned by billionaire South African businessman Koos Bekker.
And Bekker’s ventures don’t end with his celeb-loved hotel. The mogul has been described as a “feudal lord” after taking over thousands of acres of Somerset countryside to create an empire for posh people.
He’s bought up land, pubs and shops where he sells chocolate buttons for £12.
One local man in his 70s said: “It’s hard to argue with someone with that much .”
His £900-a-night upmarket country hotel The Newt has bought him an of celebrity fans and guests including and Charlie XCX.
Indeed, some locals gush about the property mogul; his generosity towards community events, the way everything he does, “he does so well” and how many he’s created.
But while he continues to build a realm of boutique hotels and shops in the posh town of Castle Cary there is an undercurrent of anger over his growing Estate.
Locals have signed a petition against his use of pesticides.
While others fume about an “egocentric” sign at the town train’s station – used by thousands of festival-goers.
“Castle Cary – For The Newt” reads the sign to anyone embarking onto the platform, and visitors can walk straight into the first of several businesses Bekker has launched.
His farm shop and café, The Creamery, sells Buffalo mozzarella from his own 500-strong herd, which you can watch them make, and salted caramel chocolate buttons in a Reindeer pouch at £11.95.
He serves afternoon teas at £45-a-pop from a vintage Pullman carriage out the back.
One local woman told us: “I find the new signage diabolical and frankly egocentric.
“It’s not like there aren’t many other fantastic businesses in the town and if they had the , they’d probably all like their own signs at the train station too. It’s a bit much.
“The amount of businesses and land he’s got – it’s a monopoly, which is never good.
“It’s like having a feudal lord.”
As well as the swanky Newt, nestled on 900 acres with its own orchard mazes, and spa hotel, Bekker has bought The George pub on the High Street of Castle Cary, as well as The Angel.
He now also owns a beauty parlour behind the George.
In total, his company which runs the Newt and his other businesses in the area – Emily Estate Ltd – turned over a staggering £23.5milllion last year.
One business owner who did not want to be identified, said they had spoken out about the “monopoly” in the past, but did not want to do so again.
They said: “I do have problems with all of it.
“But I won’t put my neck on the line again.
“I have a business to run and a family to feed, and my shop has another few years on the lease.
“What I will say is that none of it is ok.
“Many of the other residents are unhappy, but it’s hard to argue with someone who has that much .”
The George is a former pub which was popular with pensioners as it served meals for as little as £12 before its recent closure.
On the sunny day The Sun visited, staff were selling off the fixtures and fittings to make way for the developers, with one commenting, “anyone with deep pockets” would fit the future clientele.
Bekker has also launched boutique hotels similar to The Newt.
Yarlington Lodge and Cattle Hill Gate are nestled between Castle Cary and nearby celeb-heavy town Bruton.
Bruton has been dubbed the “new Notting Hill” and is the home of a litany of celebs.
Caroline Sharley, 59, is the owner of the Giggling Grape, based in the rear of husband Jan Schimmel’s shop, Schimmel’s Hardware.
She is also the chair of the Castle Cary Commerce Association.
Caroline said: “My view is that the whole development of The George is more nuanced, it’s not black or white.
“Some parts of The George building were falling down, and weren’t going to invest in that.
“If someone can afford to invest that kind of in a lovely, small, town, then it’s great for the economy and for the community.
“It will bring a different kind of tourist, it will bring people with into the town.
“He arranged a public consultation for people to meet with the architects and project manager even before planning, so he’s been very good.
“Because our businesses are so close, the only concern is the noise and dust the development will cause.”
Bekker is believed to be £40 million into the pub, converting rear buildings into apartments in a five-year project.
Meanwhile, up the road is another of his investments, The Angel pub, which is also being redeveloped.
One local resident of almost 50 years said: “I think it’s brilliant, it’s a positive for the town and will revitalise it, so it’s wonderful.
“It will create lots of and everything he does, he does it well. We’re lucky he’s so invested in improving the town.”
Meanwhile the owner of shop Burnt Honey Jesse Gilchrist, 41, said: “Anything that brings more people into the town is good for all businesses.
“If it wasn’t him, it would be someone else.
“There is always competition in business, and if they come to the new , maybe they’ll discover our shop too.”
Businessman Bekker is believed to have a net worth of about £3bn and is the 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 The Guardian – through his company Emily Estate (UK) Limited.
One business owner cryptically said: “It’s difficult to speak about, isn’t it?
“On the one hand he sponsors the carnival and the flower show and takes part in all the community events, which helps business, so no business owners are going to speak against him.
“On the other hand, residents are not happy with everything he’s doing.”
People living nearby have also been concerned that there has been an increase in flooding since the Newt was built.
The hotel has acknowledged this, and has been digging pools to hold any run-off water from the farm and paved areas.
Local people have set up a group to coordinate complaints about Bekker’s business practices.
Writer Emma Craigie, who is not part of the group, but also lives nearby, said: “I live in a village below the hill the Newt is on.
“In our immediate locality there were incidents of flooding which seemed clearly exacerbated by their road building and hardcore use.”
She claimed 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 Sun contacted Bekker’s representatives for comment.
