I splashed £1000s turning Prince William’s helicopter into seaside cafe.. but council turned it down due to ‘daft’ rule
A MAN who forked out thousands turning Prince William’s helicopter into a seaside cafe had his dreams squashed over a “daft” rule.
Ben Stonehouse, from Scarborough, North Yorkshire, saw his potential business thwarted after plans for the unique eatery were rejected by his council.
The 34-year-old went bankrupt two years ago but is still fighting to see the Sea King bustling with business.
The Sea King XY589 was flown by Flight Lieutenant Wales, Prince William, on October 2 in 2010.
It was his first operational call-out as an RholAF search and rescue pilot.
Ben actually snapped up three helicopters for an eye-watering £250,000 with hopes of launching two glamping pods as well as the cafe.
Four years of blood, sweat and tears later, the entrepreneur had restored them with original parts.
He first applied to covert Prince William’s helicopter into a cafe in 2017.
The council had been looking for a way to redeveloped the Royal Albert Drive Cafe in Scarborough after it was torn down.
But officials wanted to introduce more holiday lets, so Ben also invested in planning designs for a £2million project.
It would feature eight holiday apartments comprising of three penthouses and five two-bedroom lets.
There were three shops and two restaurants in the mock-ups, as well as the helicopter as a cafe.
Ben told the Mail: “[The helicopter] was the only additional thing outside the tender scope and they would not entertain it.
“Daft stuff like that has been constant for all the years I have been trying to do it and I have lost count.”
When Ben tried to apply for his helicopter to be stationed outside the Grand Hotel, he was also rejected “outright”.
The businessman had been working tirelessly to raise funds to keep renovating, before the plug was pulled on his dream.
The £1,200 raised was ultimately given back to people who donated.
“It is just frustrating. I would like to see people enjoy what is a great bit of engineering and aviation history that deserves to be in the public eye,” he added.
Ben’s helicopter glamping pods have also been axed after his application to have them to sit above the Hole of Horcum, on the North York Moors was turned down too.
Park ranger David Smith objected to the plan and wrote: “The development, especially the helicopters, may well be a distraction to other road users and therefore create road safety issues.”
A local farm objected because they feared it would spark extra noise and litter, as well as looking “unsightly” in the area.
Is Prince William still an air ambulance pilot?
By Holly Christodoulou and Caroline Peacock
AFTER leaving operational duties with the Armed Forces, Prince William retrained to become an air ambulance pilot and worked with the East Anglian Air Ambulance in 2015.
But in January 2017, Kensington Palace announced that he would be completing his work with his last shift on July 15.
Speaking of his time with the service, he said: “It has been a huge privilege to fly with the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
The great thing is he’s a very good pilot indeed, so that’s encouraging”
He continued: “I would like to thank the people of East Anglia for being so supportive of my role and for letting me get on with the job when they have seen me in the community or at our region’s hospitals.
“I would especially like to thank all of my colleagues at EAAA, Babcock, and Cambridge Airport for their friendship and support.
“I have loved being part of a team of professional, talented people that save lives every day. My admiration for our country’s medical and emergency services community could not be any stronger.”
On May 13, 2024, King Charles handed over the title of colonel-in-chief of Prince Harry’s old regiment to Prince William.
His Majesty declared his eldest son the combat aviation arm of the British Army at a ceremony at the Army Aviation Centre in Hampshire.
The King told service personnel: “I did just want to say what a great joy it is to be with you.
“But also, it’s tinged with great sadness after 32 years of knowing you all.
“I do hope you’ll go from strength to strength in the future with the Prince of Wales as your new Colonel-in-Chief.
“I can’t tell you how proud it has made me to have been involved with you all this time.
“The great thing is he’s a very good pilot indeed, so that’s encouraging.”
Chris France, Director of Planning for the North York Moors National Park, said: “That form of development in an area very prominent and open and surrounded by beautiful moorland was incongruous and conspicuous.
“It is not the sort of development people would expect to see in a protected landscape.
“People come to the North York Moors to get away from development they would see elsewhere. They want to be with nature and see wide open spaces.
“It was in the middle of the moor. It has a viewpoint that looks over the Hole of Horcum. It is an amazing geological feature that people come to see.
“They don’t want to turn around and see a load of helicopters as a café and glamping pods.”
But nevertheless, Ben is still searching for a place his helicopter cafe can call home.
The 34-year-old is thinking of moving it to a nearby Shopping Centre that is undergoing development.