南非亿万富翁库斯·贝克尔正通过旗下公司在英国萨默塞特郡大规模购置土地，将当地一隅逐步转变为私人庄园。贝克尔净资产约30亿英镑，系全球最大科技公司之一纳斯珀斯集团主席1。他通过Emily Estate (UK) Limited公司已购入超过2700英亩土地1，并在2013年将一座17世纪庄园Hadspen House改建成名为the Newt的高档酒店，该酒店房价为每晚800英镑1。2024年，贝克尔还获得了格二级保护建筑Yarlington Lodge的产权1。
这位富豪的商业扩张已渗透当地日常生活。Castle Cary火车站被改名为"Castle Cary for the Newt"，酒店内下午茶价格为每人45英镑1。the Newt声称已在本地雇用超过650人1，花园年卡价格为85英镑1。然而，这一系列举措激发了当地居民的强烈反感，他们对贝克尔的环保做法、杀虫剂使用以及对基础设施的控制权表示关切。此外，2023年5月的洪灾情况"超过生活记忆中的水平"1，当地议会宣布进入紧急状态1，居民更为洪水加剧、地下水枯竭和农田转向非有机耕作等问题感到担忧。
Koos Bekker, a South African billionaire with a net worth of approximately 3 billion pounds and chairman of Naspers, one of the world's largest technology companies, has been accumulating vast tracts of land in Somerset through his company Emily Estate (UK) Limited 1. The acquisition of more than 2,700 acres (1,090 hectares) has transformed a corner of the English countryside, drawing increasing opposition from local residents concerned about environmental impact and community autonomy 1.
At the heart of Bekker's Somerset venture is the Newt, a luxury hotel housed within a converted 17th-century manor, Hadspen House, which he acquired in 2013 1. The hotel charges guests 800 pounds per night and offers garden memberships for 85 pounds annually 1. The enterprise has extended beyond accommodation: Castle Cary railway station was renamed "Castle Cary for the Newt," and an affiliated tea service charges 45 pounds per person 1. According to the company, the Newt now employs more than 650 local workers 1.
Despite economic benefits, the expansion has generated substantial friction within the community. Local residents have voiced concerns over environmental practices, pesticide use, and flooding exacerbated during severe weather. A May 2023 flood event exceeded what locals described as levels within living memory, prompting the local council to declare a state of emergency 1. Additionally, anxieties persist regarding groundwater depletion and the conversion of farmland away from organic practices 1. In acquiring the Grade II listed building Yarlington Lodge in 2024, Bekker's landholding continued to expand 1, intensifying scrutiny over the concentration of private ownership in the region 1.
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