Shop owner wants to buy *****'s Neverland ranch
gmccully@chorleycitizen.co.uk
AMBITIOUS: Chorley retailer Simon Yates wants to buy Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch in California
Ambitious Chorley retailer Simon Yates, who runs the former QS Discount, now the Big Label,
store on Pall Mall, Chorley, may yet succeed in his audacious bid to buy Michael Jackson's
2,500 acre Neverland ranch in California.
According to US media reports Jackson has defaulted on mortgage payments
and is in danger of losing the property.
It prompted speculation that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will join Mr Yates
in battling it out for the Santa Barbara ranch.
Mr Yates, who first revealed his intent to buy Neverland in 2006, said:
"You never wish financial troubles on anyone but this is about business.
Neverland presents a huge retail opportunity for The Big Label."
He added: "People may think our bid is pie in the sky but customers tell me
how they want me to succeed and how good it would be for the North West."
He has consulted with Jackson's close confident Yuri Geller and assembled
a consortium of UK-based backers.
But Mr Yates and his consortium plan to establish Neverland as
a family retail destination - The Big Label Neverland Discount Outlet -
his company's first in America.
He added: "Our consortium is committed to retain the integrity of the property.
We'd retain many of the fairground fixtures but combine them with
a world-leading retail offering."
(thisislancashire.co.uk)