AN ENTREPRENEUR has bought an eerie 250-year-old prison with terrifying tunnels and a dungeon called ‘The Hole’ plans to transform it into a luxury hotel.
David de Min, 33, splashed an eye-watering £1.8million on the Ministry of Defence site – used as a prison and immigration detention since the 1950s.
The 33-acre fortress, known as the Citadel, sits on Dover’s Western Height and is entered via a concrete bridge over a grassy dried-up moat.
Mr De Min hopes to create a globally recognised tourist attraction in its place, which could cost him anywhere from £200million to half a billion.
He is the first person to own the site since King George IV in 1808.
The Dutch-born entrepreneur told MailOnline: “This place has stood for 245-years, first as a foreboding fortress protecting the country and later as a place of incarceration.
“Teachers in Dover would point up to it and warn naughty children: ‘If you don’t behave you’ll end up in there’.
“My hope is that, going forward, teachers will start pointing up and saying: ‘If you’re good, you may be lucky enough to work there.”
The ambitious businessman said he wants his project to “inspire and innovate”.
Some of the fortresses eldest parts date back to 1775 and saw Napoleon use it as a defence.
It later served as military barracks in the Crimean War and both World Wars.
In 1956 it was given to the HM Prison Service and became a Young Offenders Institution until 2002.
There’s still a 1970s prison block with over 60 cells across three floors on the abandoned site and an anti-suicide net is still in place.
A swing hangs over the netting, and Mr De Min explained he was lowered 130-ft down into the on-site well.
He said: “I was hoisted down to fetch a sample of water to see how pure it was.
“There’s a jar of the water in my office, it’s crystal clear, perfect, and means we have our own water source which fits in with our sustainability ethos.”
It was then used as an Immigration Detention Centre up until 2015.
The Citadel is made up of a whopping 54 buildings totally around 220,000 square feet.
Below lurks around 30,000 square feet of eerie tunnel networks.
Now, the atmospheric location is sometimes used as a film set, including an upcoming Marvel movie Kraven the Hunter starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
Mr De Min even landed himself a small role as an extra, playing an inmate.
Despite it’s dark history, the entrepreneur is determined to forge an entirely new future – although it could take up to 25 years.
“What we’re hoping to do is to install a stage complete with lighting and speakers for a Dragons’ Den-style TV show, where budding entrepreneurs will pitch ideas for innovations in business and technology,” he said.
“In front of the stage will sit five potential investors, all well-known billionaire businessman. I’ve had the greenlight from Sky TV to start production.”
The creep basement cells will also be given a major re-vamp and turned into a state-of-the-art wine cellar with tasting experiences.
There may even be a posh cigar bar, for any aficionado’s who enjoy an evening smoke.
They could sample a range of products while sipping on premium whiskey – as Mr De Min hope to install his own distillery too.
These plans are partly funded by police forces who rent out part of the site to train armed counter-terror squads.
Mr De Min also claimed a globally renowned events company is interested in creating a concert venue there.
He said: “They approached us with the idea, we can’t give out too much information because we’re under an NDA but we could easily do big numbers on it.”
The businessman dubbed it “one of the most unique gig venues in the world”.
But perhaps one of the biggest goals is to create a wellness retreat, offering guests “hyperbaric oxygen chambers, laser infused IV drips, cryogenic chambers and ice bath”.
“It may take ten or 25-years to complete this project but I’m someone who lives for the future, I live by my visions,” he added.
The 33-year-old also plans to build sustainable homes, create a biohacking lab, and open a restaurant in the “Secret Garden.”
David aims to host Techfort, a hub for start-ups where they can pursue their ideas for sustainable technology.
He has previously supported “biohacking”, a practice focused on pushing the body to its limits to enhance physical and mental performance.
David is passionate about ideas relating to living longer.
By Karim Camara
So far, the entrepreneur has only renovated the prison’s former healthcare centre, which he has made his home for the past three years.
His seven-bedroom flat is fitted with a sauna and a gym.
David’s property also boasts an office, where he spends most of his days mind-mapping new product ideas.
The British-Dutch son of a retired Shell oil engineer secured more than £1million to develop the site.
He secured the substantial sum through the government’s Getting Building Fund, designed to boost jobs and infrastructure in areas hardest hit by the pandemic.
The 33-year-old claimed the profits he and his family made from flipping properties were used to buy the site.
David also rents out the fort to film producers which helps generate more cash.
It was recently used in the production of the upcoming Marvel film Kraven the Hunter.
Locals in the area aren’t familiar with David or his Silicon Valley goals, and some are sceptical about the potential benefits for them.
Fiona, a customer service assistant in Dover’s branch of travel agent Tui, said: “Attracting luxury clientele is not going to affect any of us on the high street.”
However, some residents are optimistic about the change David could bring to the place.
“The town is dying on its feet,” said Heather Horne, 64, owner of nearby Stanley’s coffee bar and lounge.
“Anything that brings something to Dover would be brilliant.”
David’s plan for the Citadel could take up to 20 years to complete.
However, he intends to launch the first phase of exploring sustainable technology in June 2025.
