With his two-year deadline approaching and half a million dollars spent on a derelict pub, Martin Roberts has admitted he has greatly underestimated the time and cost of his most recent project.
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.
Renovation expert Martin wanted to support the nearby community, which he claimed had “lost their heart,” close to his own farmhouse. However, he has now admitted that he had made a total error about the required amount of time and money.
Martin has already exceeded his deadline and the makeover is not yet complete, despite his initial estimate of £500,000 and the completion date. He acknowledges that working with his tradespeople has been “challenging” and that he has only been inspired to get through because of his team of 15- to 17-year-olds.
With a location in one of the most underserved areas of the country, Martin hoped it would help them acquire useful skills when they finished their education. The reality TV star planned to employ 30 locals when his project is finished, as well as give the kids a “step up the ladder” to help them get jobs when they finish.
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.
It’s my first commercial property I’ve ever worked for, but I’m still smiling despite how difficult it has been, I’ll be honest. We are 60% in the residential housing market, compared to the residential ones, but commercial ones have much more difficulties.
Martin wanted to create an eight-bedroom hotel with a television-themed theme for each of the rooms. He intends to make accommodations in Fawlty Towers, A Question of Sport, and Homes Under The Hammer themed, in a resurgence of the show he has produced 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 continued, “I’ve never run a hotel, I’ve never run a restaurant, or I’ve never run a pub.” What could possibly go wrong, then, hey? “
After having emergency surgery and experiencing a terrifying health scare as a result of his chest pains, Martin had the idea for his new business. He initially assumed COVID, but when he was in the hospital, doctors discovered pericardial effusion, a fluid buildup 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 take things easy and slow down,” so I decided to purchase a pub that I wanted to run despite having no experience operating a pub, restaurant, or hotel. You are suddenly reminded of how fragile we are in many ways.
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