POOL FURY
Watch Piers Morgan rip into Captain Tom’s family over ‘luxurious’ spa & pool complex …as they refuse to knock it down
PIERS Morgan tonight ripped into Captain Tom's family over their "luxurious" spa and pool complex.
Hannah Ingram-Moore and husband Colin sat down with the TalkTV host and refused to answer whether they would knock down the controversial building.
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In the highly charged chat - which took place from inside the brand new complex on the grounds of their Grade II listed home - the couple said "we don't have options to remove it".
Hannah's father Captain Tom walked laps of his garden during Covid to raise money for the NHS.
Since his death, The Captain Tom Foundation was set up as a separate charity to receive further donations - which made nearly £1.1million in its first year.
Hannah and Colin have since found themselves at the centre of public anger after submitting planning applications for the building in the name of the foundation.
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The pair claimed in the interview with Piers Morgan Uncensored, that it was supposed to be a "legacy" for Captain Tom.
Original plans were to create a small charity office to home fan mail and pictures to remember the veteran.
But it became a poolhouse with changing rooms, toilets and showers - which they claim was to offer Pilates classes to local OAPs.
The family also said it was paid for out of their own money and not foundation donations.
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In the bombshell interview, Piers questioned why they didn't just demolish the spa building to stop the hate.
Revealing that a current appeal process will be concluded next week with a decision set to be made on the poolhouse's future, Colin said: "If it goes against us, we have to look at the whole building… at the moment it’s a black and white situation of either/or."
Hannah added: “When we go to appeal, it's keep it or tear it all down, there isn't a middle… if we are allowed to keep it, we will talk about what we may be able to do…"
Piers said: “When I first walk in, the first thing I see is a luxurious spa pool, that's got nothing to do with Captain Tom, at all, and yet you used the Captain Tom Foundation name to get it, and that's why I'm surprised that given I've asked this a few times now, you don't just say, ‘Actually we get it, that's going to go, regardless of whatever the council says’.
"So I'll give you one last chance, then we'll move on, but I think it's important.”
Hannah replied: “I think though that I can't possibly answer that before we as a family would sit down and discuss it.”
The Sun exclusively revealed they told planners they wanted an office for the charity set up in Captain Tom’s name — then built a poolhouse with changing rooms, toilets and showers.
They used the charity’s name in the design and heritage statement — then applied for retrospective planning permission for the spa.
Hannah said: “We have to accept that we made a decision, and it was probably the wrong one.”
Husband Colin, sitting in on the interview with their children Benji, 19, and Georgia, 14, added: “Without any doubt, and we’ve suffered.”
In the sit-down chat, Hannah also admitted she kept £800,000 from three books her last dad had written.
Hannah tells the show how her dad, whose pandemic walks raised £39million for the NHS, wanted his family to keep the money from the three books in Club Nook Ltd — a firm separate to the Captain Tom Foundation charity.
We’ve suffered
Colin Ingram
Sobbing, she said: “These were my father’s books, and it was honestly such a joy for him to write them, but they were his books.
“He had an agent and they worked on that deal, and his wishes were that that money would sit in Club Nook, and in the end . . . ”
Sun columnist Piers then interjected, “For you to keep?”, and she incredibly replied “Yes.”
And she followed that by clarifying: “Specifically.”
The family told Piers there was no suggestion that anyone buying the books thought they were donating to charity.
Sir Tom became a national hero by walking 100 laps of his Bedfordshire garden shortly before his 100th birthday.
He was later knighted by Queen Elizabeth for inspiring the nation.
In another revelation, Hannah told Piers she was paid £18,000 for attending the Virgin Media O2 Captain Tom Foundation Connector Awards in 2021 — when already handsomely paid as chief executive of the body.
The fee was paid to her family firm, Maytrix Group, and she kept £16,000, donating £2,000 to the Captain Tom Foundation.
Blinking back tears, Hannah told TalkTV: “I think in hindsight what I should have done is stalled that relationship to afterwards.”
She added: “I think it’s all very easy to look back and think I should have made different decisions, but I hadn’t planned on being the CEO.”
Piers also got Hannah to talk for the first time about the annual salary of £85,000 pro-rata on a rolling three month basis that she received to head the foundation.
Hannah said: “Yes, and look, absolutely in hindsight, the two things should have been separated, but that’s not how it landed, and it was done with love and with trying to ensure that the community and the Captain Tom Foundation benefited, and yes I got paid.”
The Captain Tom Foundation paid £160,000 to good causes while spending £240,000 on management and fundraising costs, according to its audited accounts.
The Charity Commission last year launched an inquiry into the foundation amid concerns about consultancy fees and payments to Maytrix Group.
It concluded these payments were “reasonable reimbursement for expenses incurred by the companies in the formation of the charity”.
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The commission has now been made aware of the book money and previously made it clear they had no idea about the spa complex plans.
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