Sir Philip Green takes delivery of £46m private jet days after BHS hearing - reports
The delivery of the jet comes as the collapse of BHS puts 11,000 people at risk of losing their jobs
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Your support makes all the difference.Sir Philip Green, the former owner of BHS, has taken delivery of a Gulfstream G650ER private jet days after defending his business decisions in front of a committee of MPs, according to reports.
The delivery of the jet comes as the collapse of BHS puts 11,000 people at risk of losing their jobs in stores around the UK.
Sir Philip, whose net worth was estimated to be £5.9 billion by Forbes, is said to have added the luxury jet to a fleet of vehicles including a speedboat, a helicopter and three yachts. Its price is listed on the manufacturer's website as $66.5 million (£46 million).
The manufacturer's website describes the Gulfstream jet as "the holy grail of private jets". It can fly nonstop between Dubai and Atlanta or New York to Hong Kong at near supersonic speed.
Inside, the jet can be designed with a bespoke floorplan to include conference spaces and compartments. It features handcrafted seats, 26-inch widescreen TVs, a convection oven and porcelain dinnerware.
Reports from aeroplane enthusiasts suggest that the jet was delivered to the UK in April and has already been used to fly between London and Monaco. It flew from Luton to Nice on Sunday.
It will join Sir Philip's fleet ahead of a four-storey superyacht, which is planned to arrive in weeks after being built in Italy at a reported cost of £100 million.
Sir Philip's wife, Tina, is reported to be spending £300,000 on the interior.
A source told the Sun: "It’s the most luxurious private jet on the planet, the fastest of its kind. Most employees at BHS will struggle to even pay for a budget flight to Spain this summer. So the idea he’s splashing out on this will be hard to stomach."
The Independent has contacted Sir Philip about the jet, but he has so far declined to comment.
The reports come days after Sir Philip apologised to BHS staff for his handling of the demise of the company, which went into administration on April 15.
In opening remarks to a committee of MPs, Sir Philip said that his “emotional tie” to BHS meant that he hung on to the chain too long, leading to “trouble”.
“Nothing is more sad than how this has ended,” he said.
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