Joe Lewis, the billionaire former owner of Tottenham Hotspur, has come under fire from holidaymakers who claim his £250million superyacht has spoiled their seaside views.
The 322ft vessel, called Aviva, was anchored off the Devon coast over the Bank Holiday weekend, positioned in front of two popular family holiday resorts.
Lewis, whose fortune is reported to be around $7billion, is said to use the luxury yacht as a “floating home”. Custom-built in 2017, Aviva boasts marble-lined interiors, a private office and even its own padel court.
But the striking superyacht has not impressed everyone. Some locals and visitors have described it as an “eyesore”, saying it has been sheltering behind the Plymouth breakwater since arriving from Gibraltar earlier in the summer.
Sandra Hunter, 52, from Bridgwater in Somerset, questioned why the vessel had to be moored so prominently during one of the busiest holiday weekends, saying: “Why does he feel that he has to park up outside of a place normal people wish to go on holiday for the Bank Holiday?”
‘These yachts belong in Monaco not off the quiet Devon coastline. It was very strange to see it quite honestly. I hope he takes it to the Mediterranean next year!’
The superyacht was pictured yesterday around the Bovisands, Jennycliff and Staddon Heights area in Plymouth Sound.
The area is located next to two holiday parks, Bovisands Lodge Holiday Park and Cedar Park, which are popular with families.
The 322-foot vessel named ‘Aviva’ was docked off the coast of Devon, in front of two family resorts, over the Bank Holiday weekend
Joe Lewis leaves the United States Courthouse in Manhattan, following his appearance on insider trading charges in 2023
The boat been branded as an ‘eyesore’ by local residents who say it has been taking cover behind the Plymouth breakwater since arriving earlier in the summer from Gibraltar
Ms Hunter added: ‘I’ve been coming down to this area of Devon for many years.
‘I find Jennycliff and Bovisands to be one of the most beautiful spots in the area and is a real hidden gem in Devon.
‘Me and my husband always make a point of coming down for the Bank Holiday weekend – we usually stay for three or four nights in the caravan.
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‘One of the reasons we always come here is for the panoramic views out to sea. This trip has been hampered though by a billionaire who has decided to park his mega yacht just off the cove.
‘It was disappointing as it really blocked the views. He has the money to go wherever he wants.’
Mr Lewis also caused similar controversy two years ago when he docked Aviva in Dartmouth for around a month.
One local said at the time: ‘It’s just a huge floating gin palace, miles bigger than anything else in the harbour.
‘We’ve seen his crew come and go in a tender but I don’t know if he’s even onboard – nobody’s heard anything.’
The superyacht is seen in Dartmouth in 2024, where Lewis caused similar controversy
The floating palace features onyx and marble interiors, an office and even a padel tennis court
Up until that point, the boat had not been seen in British waters for some time as it was held as collateral by US courts for over a year whilst Lewis faced charges of insider trading.
He pleaded guilty in January 2024 to sharing insider secrets about publicly traded companies with several individuals.
Under US sentencing guidelines, Lewis faced 18 months to two years behind bars but he escaped jail time because of his age and medical issues and was instead handed a sentence of three years probation and $5million (£3.8million) fine.
Aviva was built in 2017, sleeps 16 people and has a top speed of 20 knots and an eco-friendly hybrid electric propulsion system.
Lewis was born and raised in the UK, and turned his father’s catering business, Tavistock Banqueting, into a company that sold luxury goods to American tourists, before turning to currency trading in the 1970s.
He moved to the Bahamas to avoid paying UK tax rates, and made millions betting against the British pound and the Mexican peso in the 1990s.
Lewis eventually bought Tottenham Hotspur, though was removed as a ‘person of significant control’ in 2022 after it was handed over to a family trust.