Duncan Bannatyne has flown back to his £5 million villa in Portugal just weeks after furloughing 2,500 members of staff at his fitness clubs across the UK.
The Dragons’ Den star, 71, who is worth £300million, claims he was left stranded in London when the lockdown was brought in and spent the last six weeks staying with friends as he doesn’t have a home in the city.
The 71-year-old, who is originally from Clydebank now declared he has “repatriated” himself back to Portugal with his wife Nigora, 40.
In a post on Twitter, he wrote: “I have repatriated myself & my family back to my home in Portugal after being locked down in London due to bad timing.
“Luckily I had friends that gave me a place to stay in London but it is good to be home…. Lockdown will start to ease of [sic] this Monday.”
He’s believed to have been staying with his billionaire pal John Caudwell during his time in London.
Bannatyne has clarified reports about his exit to Portugal, insisting the villa is his full time home, writing: “I am not on holiday. I did not jet off on holiday. I am at home.”
He revealed the couple took a private jet, and stayed two metres away from the crew at all times.
Bannatyne also insisted he and his wife are going to spend 14 days in isolation after returning to Portugal.
Nigora last posted a picture of herself in London just three days ago, while her subsequent Instagram posts show she’s now back at the couple’s luxury villa in the sunshine.
She’s shared videos of herself lounging on the sofa and watching TV, as well as working out in their private gym.
Another picture showed Bannatyne lounging in a garden chair on a patio at the Portugal villa.
The move back to Portugal comes weeks after Bannatyne furloughed 2,500 of the 3,000 staff working at his Bannatyne gyms and health clubs.
The venues have all been forced to close because of the coronavirus outbreak in a move he’s predicted will close the chain around £30 million.
He’s now admitted he doesn’t expect his gyms to reopen until the autumn.
When asked about re-opening plans by a fan on Twitter, he replied: “Fully? October. Maybe later.”
