doug barrowman yacht turquoise

The Barrowmans and friends follow the summer sun in the Med

#humansofyachting – Douglas Barrowman

Douglas Barrowman is the Scottish owner of Turquoise , built in 2011. Turquoise is used privately by Barrowman and his family, as well as for charter.

“There is no better place to holiday with my family than on Turquoise . It is impossible to replicate the seven-star experience we have aboard our yacht at any resort. We have 13 dedicated crew members, who all ensure our time is first class and fun. And then, of course, there’s the culinary experience. One night we might have authentic Indian cuisine, another night it can be Chinese, Mexican, Thai, Spanish, or just plain English or American food. Dining aboard is like going to a different fine restaurant in a different country every night – it is never boring.

I have an extended family with four children: two older ones, a son of 24 and a daughter nearly 21, plus two young sons of five and seven. When our schedules allow, we all like to gather on the yacht and spend some quality time as a family. There is no place like a yacht for family togetherness. Turquoise is well laid out to afford us different spaces to enjoy privacy or read a book, but we also have plenty of places to come together and enjoy each other’s company.

“There’s no place like a yacht for family togetherness.”

When we are on holiday, we follow the sun: the Med in the summer and the Bahamas or Caribbean in the winter. We get up early and have a leisurely breakfast with whoever shows up. We anchor out in the harbour for some water sports – jet-skiing, paddleboarding, seabobbing. We also have fun toys such as a sea trampoline for the little ones, even for us big ones. Then we chill out on the top deck for some sunbathing. If we feel like it, we might go sightseeing ashore or just partake of local entertainment. Last year at Norman Cay in the Bahamas, we snorkelled around a sunken plane. Then further down the Exuma chain of islands, we encountered feral pigs on the uninhabited island of Big Major Cay. They live on the beach and swim out to your tender for you to feed them. One of our most interesting trips was going through the Corinth Canal en route to the Greek islands – that was an amazing experience for the crew and for us.

Turquoise passes through the Corinth Canal

The crew really goes to great lengths to see we enjoy ourselves. As an alternative to lunch on board, sometimes we have beach barbecues where the crew takes a tender to a deserted beach and sets up a cabana, bringing a table and chairs. It is as if we are castaways on a fantasy island, but we don’t have to forage for food. By late afternoon, we take it easy and have some chill time, perhaps some hot tub time. Then we all freshen up for sunset cocktails and dinner. Once in a while our crew puts on a themed dinner party for us and that is a lot of fun. It could be a masquerade ball or a Great Gatsby themed evening.

After dinner, we usually go up to the top deck to listen to music and have a few drinks. If the mood takes us we will go ashore to a good nightclub – nanny availability permitting for the younger family members. I like to have a good time and nothing makes me happier than my family and good friends enjoying themselves aboard Turquoise .”

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Superyacht Turquoise – how a top hotelier transformed his 55.4m into a charter success

For owners and designers, the space between the personal and the coldly impersonal is wide and uncertain, but the most successful find a decorative approach that makes a charter yacht feel like an ultra-luxury home-on-sea – and not someone else’s. When the owner of the 55.4 metre superyacht Turquoise bought the 2011-built boat in December last year, the interior was in good nick, but, as one yacht designer put it, “extremely plain”. Comments from charter guests backed this up. “A bit ordinary,” was the general consensus, not the kind of feedback any self-respecting superyacht owner wants to be hearing about his pride and joy, especially when it’s up for hire in an ever more competitive luxury charter yacht market. Turquoise ’s Captain Ben Craig-Cameron recalls diplomatically that while the boat had the bones of a great charter yacht, the interior was “definitely not to the owner’s taste”. “But,” he adds, “I think he saw an opportunity.”

The refit plan followed an interior design concept that improved the use of rooms and deck space, creating a more glamorous, yet thoroughly accommodating atmosphere. An outdoor cinema was installed, furniture was repositioned in the saloons to create more intimacy and wonderful dining spaces were created on each deck. “Every good superyacht revolves around eating and drinking,” says the owner. “To this end we built a strong kitchen team and ensured that dining could take place across all three decks. Theatre has been created with the different sets of glassware and crockery and the interiors team try to make each meal on board a memorable experience.”

Inspiration

Having owned luxury hotels and chartered widely, including a 56-metre Perini Navi, the owner had the experience and skills to revamp Turquoise into a top-notch charter boat. “I had experienced time on the original Turquoise (now Double Trouble) and had chartered a sistership to Turquoise , Talisman Maiton (ex- Talisman ). I liked the exterior look of the yacht and the layout. The Ed Dubois naval pedigree added weight. She was also extremely quiet and fuel efficient.” The brief was for “seven star service” – enhancing the attractive outdoor spaces and creating a warm and comfortable interior that would work for families as well. “Timeless elegance so that the yacht would not date overnight,” says the owner.

Construction

Steel-hulled with an aluminium superstructure, Turquoise was built in 2011 by Proteksan Turquoise in Turkey, 17 years after the first Turquoise was launched for the same client. She was designed by Ed Dubois and had the bones of a great charter yacht with a functional, service-oriented layout. The basic structure was kept, but the treatment changed. In the main saloon, for example, a storage unit by the aft doors grew into an art deco-influenced bar, while further forward an arrangement of coffee tables and footstools created greater intimacy, as well as a visual treat.

Exterior styling

With her long, sharp bow and extravagantly swept back radar arch, she perhaps gives the impression of boasting a higher top speed than the 17 knots she’ll do flat out. Turquoise ’s external looks are a mix of the purposeful and the luxurious, the working deck space at the bow giving way amidships to acres of private deck space over three levels. An al fresco beach club is found on the top deck, enclosed by solid bulwarks for privacy. The original owner specified a large lazarette that was kept free of tenders and toys, reserved for only diving equipment. Refitted with charter in mind, it is now stuffed with water toys.

Interior design

“It’s a modern interpretation of art deco,” says Jonny Horsfield of H2 Yacht Design, the British design firm that was brought in to reimagine the on board lifestyle. “We wanted to introduce a lot more contrast, so you have dark macassar wood in high-gloss varnish – really rich and sexy – and stainless steel, which highlights it. There are beiges, whites and greys and only little bits of colour here and there, for example in the main saloon with that petrol blue.” Velvet is used in main saloon upholstery, while suede treated to mimic shagreen covers walls in the owner’s suite. Cream leather panels and mirrors are common throughout, creating a feeling of richness and depth. In terms of layout, a small but important feature is the existence of a main deck VIP suite, guarding against the possibility of any unsightly squabble over the master cabin by the two primary charterers.

Outdoor living

The exterior decks have also been reconfigured. The sun deck, which was laid out for sunbathing alone with a large spa pool and sunpads, now features a stylish bar, barbecue and dining area, becoming a far more accommodating place to while away the afternoon at anchor. Snazzy touches include the light colour scheme and the bronze splashes in the glass bar top that shimmer in the sun – typical of the level of detail and thought to be found throughout this redesign.

Engineering and performance

Captain Ben Craig-Cameron joins the owner in complimenting Turquoise on her quietness and fuel economy. “We can be doing 15 knots, and burning 290 litres an hour, whereas with previous yachts I’ve been on, we’ve been doing 14 to 12 knots, burning about 800 litres an hour,” he says. Craig-Cameron also praises the engine room and wheelhouse layout.

Superyacht Turquoise specs

LOA: 55.4m Beam: 9.3m Draught: 3.2m Displacement: 631 tonnes Engines: 2 x CAT 3512B at 1,500hp each Speed (max/cruise): 17 knots/14 knots Range @ 12 knots: 5,500nm Owner and guests: 12 Crew: 13 Classification: LR 100 – A1 – SSC – Yacht Mono, G6, LMC, UMS, MCA LY2 compliant Builder/year: Proteksan Turquoise/2011

Superyacht_ Turqouise _is available for charter with OCEAN Independence.

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Billionaire husband of Michelle Mone lines up a £50MILLION mega-yacht

• Lady Mone has stated that the pair hope to retire and sail the world in 2025
• Husband, Doug Barrowman made more than £60 million profit on a PPE contract deal with the government 

The billionaire husband of 'Baroness Bra' Michelle Mone is preparing to take delivery of a £50 million mega-yacht, sources on the French Riviera say.

Scottish businessman Doug Barrowman – at the centre of a PPE procurement scandal with his wife – sold a 187ft (57m) yacht, Turquoise, in October last year for a reported £17.5 million. A smaller yacht, the Lady M, is now up for sale for £6.8 million.

The 58-year-old is a noted yacht enthusiast and said in a previous televised interview that he felt he had 'one more boat' in him, at a budget of £50 million.

Lady Mone added in a separate interview that the two of them hoped to retire and sail the world in 2025.

Sources in Monaco say Mr Barrowman has long planned to purchase and design his own 'ultimate' dream vessel and say that 'Vento' – currently being fitted out in Turkey – is his new craft.

The 285ft (87m) yacht boasts a hull finished in Tour de France blue, a swimming pool, a helipad that doubles as a basketball court, an outdoor cinema, bar and spiral staircase, plus a beauty salon and beach club. 

It is being fitted by London-based H2 Designs, who previously worked with Mr Barrowman on a refit of Turquoise and of the Lady M. Vento is due to be delivered to its new owner this year.

Jonny Horsfield, the boss of H2, did not return requests for comment about the owner of the new yacht.

Yacht broker Glynn Smith, of Ethereal Yachts – who did the deal for Vento – did not deny that the client was Mr Barrowman but said that he was bound by 'strict confidentiality' and added that the client 'wished to remain anonymous'.

Mr Barrowman's office and lawyer, and Lady Mone's office, did not return requests for comment.

The timing of the purchase could be embarrassing, as the National Crime Agency is investigating allegations of fraud and bribery surrounding the firm PPE Medpro.

PPE Medpro, a consortium that Mr Barrowman led, was awarded more than £200 million by the Government to supply medical equipment. 

It is currently being sued by the Government for £122 million for 'breach of contract and unjust enrichment' over claims that its surgical gowns were unfit for use.

The company denies the allegations and Mr Barrowman says that he is confident that he will win his civil case.

Lady Mone, who founded the lingerie label Ultimo, lobbied Ministers Michael Gove and Lord Agnew for the PPE contracts but initially denied she had connections to the firm. She now admits that was a lie.

Mr Barrowman made more than £60 million profit on the deal, much of which was transferred to an offshore trust of which Lady Mone and her children are beneficiaries.

The National Crime Agency has frozen her bank accounts during the investigation. A string of assets owned by Lady Mone, 52, and Mr Barrowman have been put up for sale, including a home on St Barts, the Lady M yacht and a Cessna private jet.

The couple's London home and Algarve villa have reportedly been sold. They live on the Isle of Man, which is a tax haven.

In a statement published on Lady Mone's account on X/Twitter, Mr Barrowman sought to highlight failures from the Department of Health and Social Care.

'Michelle and I are being hung out to dry to distract attention from Government incompetence in how it handled PPE procurement,' he said. 'I understand why the British public feel angry but their anger should not be directed at Michelle or I.' 

He added that Medpro's profit was in line with that made by other PPE providers.

In a Channel 4 documentary, Million Pound Mega Yachts, broadcast in 2015, Mr Barrowman said he had spent around £3 million refitting the yacht Turquoise with H2.

He added: 'You have to spend it on something. There's a limit to the amount of houses you can have and private air travel.'

He added that he and H2 boss Mr Horsfield had spent 'hours' talking about the design of the boat and said: 'I think we've got another boat in us really.'

Mr Barrowman's yacht Turquoise featured in the Sky drama series Riviera in 2017. It was seen in one of the episode's opening sequences as the setting for an orgy, and was then 'blown up' via special effects. Mr Barrowman made a cameo appearance.

Producer Paul McGuinness, formerly U2's manager, told GQ magazine that Mr Barrowman had insisted on drinking Dom Perignon while the other actors and extras had sparkling apple juice. 'He loved being on the show.

'He didn't see why he had to drink coloured water and we certainly weren't going to tell him what he should drink,' McGuinness said.

In an interview with the Daily Record in 2020, Lady Mone said: 'Doug and I dream of getting a yacht and going around the world… At the moment. we've got too much on our plate but in five years' time, I see us doing that.'

Billionaire husband of ‘Baroness Bra’ Michelle Mone taking delivery of new £50M mega-yacht to sail away from PPE storm

The billionaire husband of ‘Baroness Bra’ Michelle Mone is preparing to take delivery of a £50 million mega-yacht, sources on the French Riviera say.

Scottish businessman Doug Barrowman – at the centre of a PPE procurement scandal with his wife – sold a 187ft (57m) yacht, Turquoise, in October last year for a reported £17.5 million. A smaller yacht, the Lady M, is now up for sale for £6.8 million.

The 58-year-old is a noted yacht enthusiast and said in a previous televised interview that he felt he had ‘one more boat’ in him, at a budget of £50 million.

Lady Mone added in a separate interview that the two of them hoped to retire and sail the world in 2025.

Sources in Monaco say Mr Barrowman has long planned to purchase and design his own ‘ultimate’ dream vessel and say that ‘Vento’ – currently being fitted out in Turkey – is his new craft.

The 285ft (87m) yacht boasts a hull finished in Tour de France blue, a swimming pool, a helipad that doubles as a basketball court, an outdoor cinema, bar and spiral staircase, plus a beauty salon and beach club.

Yacht broker Glynn Smith, of Ethereal Yachts – who did the deal for Vento – did not deny that the client was Mr Barrowman but said that he was bound by ‘strict confidentiality’ and added that the client ‘wished to remain anonymous’.

The timing of the purchase could be embarrassing, as the National Crime Agency is investigating allegations of fraud and bribery surrounding the firm PPE Medpro.

PPE Medpro, a consortium that Mr Barrowman led, was awarded more than £200 million by the Government to supply medical equipment.

It is currently being sued by the Government for £122 million for ‘breach of contract and unjust enrichment’ over claims that its surgical gowns were unfit for use.

The company denies the allegations and Mr Barrowman says that he is confident that he will win his civil case.

Lady Mone, who founded the lingerie label Ultimo , lobbied Ministers Michael Gove and Lord Agnew for the PPE contracts but initially denied she had connections to the firm. She now admits that was a lie.

Mr Barrowman made more than £60 million profit on the deal, much of which was transferred to an offshore trust of which Lady Mone and her children are beneficiaries.

The National Crime Agency has frozen her bank accounts during the investigation. A string of assets owned by Lady Mone, 52, and Mr Barrowman have been put up for sale, including a home on St Barts, the Lady M yacht and a Cessna private jet.

The couple’s London home and Algarve villa have reportedly been sold. They live on the Isle of Man, which is a tax haven.

In a statement published on Lady Mone’s account on X/Twitter, Mr Barrowman sought to highlight failures from the Department of Health and Social Care.

‘Michelle and I are being hung out to dry to distract attention from Government incompetence in how it handled PPE procurement,’ he said. ‘I understand why the British public feel angry but their anger should not be directed at Michelle or I.’

He added that Medpro’s profit was in line with that made by other PPE providers.

In a Channel 4 documentary, Million Pound Mega Yachts, broadcast in 2015, Mr Barrowman said he had spent around £3 million refitting the yacht Turquoise with London-based H2 Designs.

He added: ‘You have to spend it on something. There’s a limit to the amount of houses you can have and private air travel.’

He added that he and H2 boss Mr Horsfield had spent ‘hours’ talking about the design of the boat and said: ‘I think we’ve got another boat in us really.’

In an interview with the Daily Record in 2020, Lady Mone said: ‘Doug and I dream of getting a yacht and going around the world… At the moment. we’ve got too much on our plate but in five years’ time, I see us doing that.’

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TURQUOISE YACHT CHARTER

55.4m  /  181'9   turquoise yachts   2011 / 2022.

• Previous Yacht

Cabin Configuration

Special Features:

• Recently Refitted with Neutral Tones
• Grand Piano in Sky Lounge
• Large Deck Spaces
• Large 14 Person Jacuzzi
• Nikki Beach-style Outdoor Cinema
• Boomswim with trampoline and waterslide
• Yoga and Pilates accessories

Following her recent refit motor yacht Turquoise is now a charter friendly superyacht with wide appeal.

The 55.4m/181'9" 'Turquoise' motor yacht built by the Turkish shipyard Turquoise Yachts is available for charter for up to 12 guests in 6 cabins. This award winning yacht features interior styling by English designer H2 Yacht Design.

Built in 2011, Turquoise boasts a multitude of decks ideal for relaxation and entertainment indoors or outdoors, ensuring guests will live la dolce vita on the open waters.

Guest Accommodation

Turquoise offers guest accommodation for up to 12 guests in 6 suites comprising a master suite, one VIP cabin, two double cabins and two twin cabins. There are 8 beds in total, including 4 king and 4 singles. She is also capable of carrying up to 13 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht charter experience.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

You and your guests can enjoy a variety of experiences on Turquoise, notably a gym with all the latest equipment to maintain your fitness routine. Retreat to the deck jacuzzi and soak up the scenery.

Turquoise benefits from some excellent features to improve your charter, notably Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to stay connected at all times, should you wish. You can stay comfortable on board whatever the weather, with air conditioning during your charter.

Performance & Range

Built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, she offers greater on-board space and is more stable when at anchor thanks to her full-displacement hull. Powered by twin Caterpillar engines, she comfortably cruises at 12 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 17 knots with a range of up to 5,000 nautical miles from her 83,500 litre fuel tanks at 11 knots. An advanced stabilisation system on board reduces the side-to-side roll of the yacht and promises guests exceptional comfort levels at anchor or when underway.

Onboard Turquoise has a large selection of toys and accessories to keep you and your guests entertained on the water throughout your stay. Principle among these are Flyboards which is a must for any self-respecting thrill-seeker, prepare for supersize thrills - even beginners will enjoy the thrill of swooping skywards and ‘dolphining’ back into the water. In addition there are waterslides bringing a sense of fun that all the family can enjoy. Guests can feel the wind in their hair and jump the waves on one of the two Yamaha FX SVHO Supercharged WaveRunners. If that isn't enough Turquoise also features towable toys, waterskis, a Kite Surfer, scuba diving equipment, a seabob and much more. Turquoise features two tenders, but leading the pack is a 13.11m/43' Freeman Chase Tender to transport you in style.

Turquoise and her crew are available for charter this summer for cruising within the Caribbean. She is already accepting bookings this winter for cruising in Bermuda and the Caribbean.

With its superlative combination of luxurious styling and superb amenities, motor yacht Turquoise has everything you could possibly want for unforgettable yacht charter vacations.

TESTIMONIALS

There are currently no testimonials for Turquoise, please provide .

Turquoise Photos

Amenities & Entertainment

For your relaxation and entertainment Turquoise has the following facilities, for more details please speak to your yacht charter broker.

Turquoise is reported to be available to Charter with the following recreation facilities:

• Lift e-foil
• 1 x 13.11m  /  43' Freeman Chase Tender with 4 x Mercury 400 HP engines 2023
• 1 x 7.5m  /  24'7 Novurania custom Tender

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

Turquoise Awards & Nominations

• The World Superyacht Awards 2012 Best Displacement Motor Yacht of 500GT to 1,299GT (approximately 50m – 59m) Finalist
• The World Superyacht Awards 2015 Refitted / Rebuilt / Converted Yachts Finalist
• The International Yacht & Aviation Awards 2015 Power Yacht Refit Winner
• + shortlist

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

PADI CERTIFIED TRAINING CENTRE

Your family and friends could learn to scuba dive on your charter vacation onboard this luxury charter yacht. Motor Yacht Turquoise is a certified PADI Dive Centre yacht so you could obtain your PADI diving card .

APPROVED RYA WATER SPORTS CENTRE

Your family and friends could learn to use the water toys on your charter vacation onboard this luxury charter yacht. Motor Yacht Turquoise is a certified RYA Training Centre yacht.

'Turquoise' Charter Rates & Destinations

Summer Season

May - September

$300,000 p/week + expenses

High Season

$330,000 p/week + expenses

Cruising Regions

Caribbean Bahamas

Winter Season

October - April

Bermuda Caribbean Antigua, Bahamas, Cuba, Saint Martin, St Barts

HOT SPOTS:   Virgin Islands

Charter Turquoise

To charter this luxury yacht contact your charter broker , or we can help you.

To charter this luxury yacht contact your charter broker or

On Board Review

With her metallic charcoal alumni wrap turning more than a few heads at this year’s Monaco Yacht Show, the editorial team at YachtCharterFleet stepped on board the 55m/182ft motor yacht TURQUOISE to learn more about the charms hidden inside.

No need is left wanting aboard the ultra-luxurious TURQUOISE

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By SuperyachtNews 08 Sep 2015

TSO 18 out now

As the superyacht owner approaches its 5th monaco yacht show, it presents issue 18, another candid exploration of the world of superyacht ownership.….

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Michelle Mone’s husband ‘buys £50m yacht for retirement’

Doug Barrowman, the Isle of Man financier at the heart of a PPE procurement scandal, is planning to take delivery of a £50 million superyacht, it has been reported.

The Scottish businessman, married to the lingerie tycoon Baroness Mone, sold the 57m yacht Turquoise in October last year for a reported £17.5 million. A smaller yacht, the Lady M, is now up for sale for £6.8 million.

Sources in Monaco told The Mail on Sunday that Barrowman had long planned to purchase and design his own “ultimate” dream vessel and that a vessel called Vento that is being fitted out in Turkey is his new craft.

The 87m yacht boasts a hull finished in Tour de France blue, a swimming pool, a helipad that doubles

Related articles

Inside £10m yacht linked to Michelle Mone as luxury vessel is put up for sale

Michelle Mone and her billionaire husband Doug Barrowman face a National Crime Agency investigation

• 17:18, 25 SEP 2022
• Updated 08:09, 26 SEP 2022

A yacht linked to Scottish underwear tycoon and Tory peer Michelle Mone has been put up for sale for £10.25 million. The sale of Lady M is listed months after a multi-million-pound refit to the 130ft vessel, which the 50-year-old socialite regularly features on her social media pages.

The boat, which was refurbished in May, features a deluxe cream-coloured interior and four cabins as well as room for six crew report the Express.

READ MORE - Jilted bride goes ahead with wedding anyway after spending her entire life savings

It comes as Mone and her billionaire husband Doug Barrowman face a National Crime Agency investigation after the peer recommended PPE Medpro during the pandemic, a firm with connections to her husband - with the pair denying any wrongdoing.

The House of Lords commissioner for standards launched into Baroness Mone in January following a complaint by the Labour peer George Foulkes.

The group was awarded two contracts worth £200 million to supply surgical gowns and other items during the pandemic in 2020 which proved useless after the goods failed an inspection. The Department for Health is in dispute with PPE Medpro over millions of surgical gowns which it bought for £122m in 2020.

Once it became public last year that she had referred PPE Medpro to the Cabinet Office using the "VIP lane", Baroness Mone admitted she made the “very simple, solitary and brief step” but insisted “did not do anything further in respect of PPE Medpro”.

But in leaked Whatsapp messages Mone was allegedly asked what size of gowns were required under the Department of Health deal and replied: “We are just about to take off in the jet. The sizes are in the order. We are waiting for the official PO [purchase order], this should come in today.”

Mone’s lawyers said she could not be expected to comment on “unknown and unattributable WhatsApp messages allegedly sent 19 months ago”.

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Sources told the Guardian newspaper that Barrowman, an offshore entreprenuer on the Isle of Man, was "part of the financial consortium that backed" PPE Medpro. But his lawyers said the allegations were “largely incorrect”.

Four properties linked to the firm, including a £25 million Isle of Man bolt hole were raided by the NCA in April. No arrests were made during simultaneous raids in London and the Isle of Man but officers seized documents and electronic devices.

Set up by Mr Barrowman in 2017 – with his wife as a trustee – it donates to the Prince’s Trust, but has not lodged any donations in its accounts.

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Michelle Mone’s husband linked to tax firms whose clients submitted misleading claims, documents suggest

Exclusive: Financial records raise questions about whether firms connected to Douglas Barrowman should be investigated, say experts

The multimillionaire husband of the embattled Conservative peer Michelle Mone is linked to a series of tax avoidance companies that may have assisted their clients in submitting misleading claims to HM Revenue and Customs, documents suggest.

Files and emails relating to the activities of companies connected to Douglas Barrowman were obtained by the thinktank Tax Policy Associates, and have been seen by the Guardian and BBC Newsnight. Experts say the material raises questions about whether the companies in question – and those connected to them – should be investigated for any role they played in providing misleading information to HMRC about tax affairs.

Barrowman, who shares a home on the Isle of Man with Mone, has been battling to restore his reputation after the couple became embroiled in a scandal over the profits made from £200m in contracts to supply personal protective equipment (PPE) to the NHS during the Covid pandemic. Mone, who has taken leave of absence from the Lords but remains a Conservative peer, admitted last month she and Barrowman had lied to journalists about their involvement with a company called PPE Medpro, which is under investigation by the National Crime Agency . Mone and Barrowman both deny any wrongdoing.

In the 2016 budget, the government announced it would clamp down on a scheme being promoted by companies including Barrowman-connected businesses, which was marketed to self-employed contractors as a way to slash their tax bills. The new documents suggest contractors who had used the “disguised remuneration” scheme were advised by Barrowman-connected firms in 2019 to contact another company, Vanquish Options, which appears to have also had multiple links to the businessman.

Clients were then provided with letters, signed by directors of the tax avoidance companies, to send to HMRC. Experts say these appear to present a misleading picture of the financial affairs of Vanquish clients, and the tax office should investigate whether any offence has been committed.

Lawyers for Barrowman and his firm Knox Group said: “Our client does not propose to rehearse its legal position in correspondence with you. However, your outright and unqualified allegations of dishonesty, wrongdoing and misconduct are denied by our clients in their entirety.”

Barrowman has been a highly successful – if controversial – business figure since long before he and his wife became embroiled in the PPE scandal. Asked by a 2015 Channel 4 documentary why he had bought two yachts, he replied: “I suppose the flippin’ answer is because I can.”

A sizeable portion of his fortune is believed to have been made from a tax avoidance company, AML Tax (UK), which was considered to be at the forefront of selling disguised remuneration schemes.

The schemes, marketed in the 2010s, aimed to cut self-employed contractors’ income taxes by arranging for them to be paid for their work via loans, which are not taxed as they ordinarily have to be paid back. They were marketed on the basis that debts would never be repaid, meaning contractors were remunerated without paying taxes incurred on standard earnings.

In 2016, the UK government moved to close down the practice. It introduced a “loan charge”, which took effect in 2019, and was designed to claw back unpaid taxes by people who, HMRC said, used disguised remuneration schemes from April 1999. The move resulted in an estimated 61,000 contractors facing life-changing bills for unpaid taxes, sometimes totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds. The promoters, however, were not pursued by the tax office.

Aberdeen-based David Johnstone, 70, a retired offshore oil safety consultant, said he used the services of one of the loan companies connected to Barrowman for about five months during 2014 and 2015. He said he paid about £88,000 of his contractor fees to the Barrowman-connected company and received about £56,000 back in loans, but said he became concerned about the arrangement and backed out of the deal.

Johnstone now has an outstanding loan charge bill for about £24,000 – which he insisted he would not pay until HMRC started pursuing the promoters.

“HMRC have behaved very poorly in this matter,” he said. “They’ve chased us hard but seem to be ignoring the purveyors of this snake oil.”

AML was just one of the companies whose clients were affected – but it attracted more attention than most.

In the Commons in October 2019, Carol Monaghan, the MP for Glasgow North West, said : “Companies such as AML that have promoted the schemes are getting away scot-free. AML and its director, Doug Barrowman, appear to have moved away with no consequences whatever. In fact, they are boasting that HMRC is not pursuing them for any assets or unpaid taxes.”

Under the legislation, no loan charge was due if the self-employed contractors had paid back the disguised remuneration loans.

So AML recommended its clients contact another company, Vanquish Options, which the new documents suggest also had multiple links to Barrowman.

The Vanquish pitch was that the self-employed contractors should repay about 5% of the value of their loans and for Vanquish to arrange for a third-party company to take on the liability for the remaining 95%.

Six of the original tax avoidance companies – which are linked back to Barrowman via public records and electronic metadata contained within the documents sent to contractors – then provided letters, written on headed paper and signed by their directors, stating in identical language that their loans had been “repaid and provided for and as at the date of this letter there is no outstanding liability”. The statements were sent by Vanquish to its clients, which they provided to HMRC.

However, as the contractors had not repaid the loans, the claim that the money had been repaid appears to be misleading.

One document, which was later sent by HMRC to a contractor using Vanquish’s services, stated: “None of the loans from the original providers were repaid.” It concluded: “We do not believe that these arrangements work”, adding: “We consider the main purpose of the Vanquish arrangements was to avoid the loan charge and so meets the definition of a tax avoidance arrangement”.

Ray McCann, a former president of the Chartered Institute of Taxation and a former HMRC inspector, said: “Vanquish couldn’t make a credible argument that they didn’t intend or expect the letters to be read by HMRC or used as evidence by those involved that their loans had been repaid. The letters misrepresent the position, raising concerns a criminal offence has been committed.”

In 2019 Barrowman’s lawyers denied to the Times he had “any involvement or interest in Vanquish Options”. A year later they told BBC Radio 4’s File on Four that neither Barrowman nor his group of companies called Knox had at any time owned or controlled Vanquish.

The new records include 2019 emails sent from both Vanquish and Barrowman’s company, AML. The metadata of both companies’ emails sets out that they were sent from the same IP address, which suggests the messages were sent from the same computer.

Furthermore, loan agreements between separate Barrowman-connected companies and self-employed contractors, which also form part of the records obtained by Tax Policy Associates, were created on software packages that appeared to be registered to a Vanquish Options email address.

It is not clear what role, if any, Barrowman played in the Vanquish scheme or the letters.

Lawyers for Barrowman and Knox Group did not answer the Guardian’s detailed questions about their client’s connections to Vanquish Options or the other linked companies.

A spokesperson for Knox Group said: “This investigation is based on a partial and incomplete understanding of the facts. HMRC has had disclosures of all relevant documents and information relating to the loan charge arrangements for a lengthy period and both parties have been engaged in an ongoing and extensive process of dialogue and disclosure with the HMRC for several years in relation to such schemes. HMRC has never even suggested, let alone alleged, that there has been any form of dishonesty or wrongdoing by the Knox Group. To allege otherwise is speculative and not justified.

“At least 50,000 people were affected by the loan charge. Literally hundreds of companies and advisers sold these legally compliant arrangements at the time. The Knox Group accounted for a tiny percentage of this number overall.

“The Knox Group deeply and sincerely regrets that any contractor or their families suffered any distress or anguish arising from tax charges levied by HMRC when it retrospectively amended the relevant legal framework.

“This retrospective change in the law was a matter of industry-wide criticism at the time from bodies – such as the Chartered Institute of Taxation and the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

“The Knox Group denies any and all allegations of dishonesty, misconduct and wrongdoing.”

An HMRC spokesperson said: “We neither confirm nor deny investigations and cannot comment on identifiable individuals or businesses. We collect the tax due under the law, creating a level playing field for everyone and funding public services. We are determined to drive promoters of tax avoidance out of business.

“The loan charge seeks to recover tax that has been avoided by disguising income as loans. It is our responsibility to collect the tax that people owe.

“We take the wellbeing of all taxpayers very seriously and recognise that dealing with large tax liabilities can lead to pressure on individuals. Above all we want to prevent people getting into these types of situations and our message is clear – if a tax scheme sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

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Tory peer Michelle Mone launches £80m fire sale of luxury villa, superyacht and private jet amid PPE scandal

3 January 2024, 14:24 | Updated: 3 January 2024, 15:59

By Christian Oliver

Tory peer Michelle Mone and billionaire husband Doug Barrowman have launched an £80m fire sale of their assets, including a luxury Caribbean villa, superyacht, and private jet amid their involvement in the ongoing PPE scandal.

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Baroness Mone, 52, previously revealed her bank accounts were frozen following a two-year investigation by the National Crime Agency into allegations of fraud and bribery.

The allegations surround PPE Medpro - a company that the couple is close to - which was awarded more than £200m to supply the government with protective medical equipment amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The company is currently being sued by the Department for Health for £133m over claims surgical gowns it supplied were inadequate.

The lingerie tycoon had previously distanced herself from PPE Medpro but since admitted she lied when denying her links with the company.

The couple has now put several of their assets up for sale which they own through a string of off-shore companies, The Mirror reported. The couple is set to lose £29m if they sell the assets at their current listing price.

The assets include a yacht - named Lady M - which became infamous when Mone posted a picture of herself in a bathing suit on the vessel in the Mediterranean with the caption: "Business isn’t easy. But it is rewarding.”

Read More: 'I don't know' if Michelle Mone should be kicked out of the Lords, govt minister says after baroness takes aim at Sunak

Read More: 'They all knew': Michelle Mone hits back after Rishi Sunak says he is taking the PPE scandal 'extremely seriously'

After its price was slashed by £3m, the luxury vessel is now on sale for £7m. The yacht is owned by off-shore Isle of Mann company LM Yachts Ltd, which is run by former PPE Medpro director Voirrey Coole.

Also for sale at a cut price is a £41m six-bedroom luxury villa on the picturesque island of St Barts in the Caribbean.

The 17,000 sq ft six-bedroom mansion, which Barrowman built in 2018 is claimed to be one of the biggest on the Caribbean island. It has reportedly played host to the rich and famous including Jay Z and Beyoncé.

It has been on sale since 2021 - originally listed at £63m but now cut down to £41m.

The Mirror also reported that the couple's £19m London townhouse was sold last year, as well as their £7m Algarve, Portugal, villa.

The 'Baroness Bra' and husband Barrowman also have a £7.5million Cessna Citation CJ4 private jet listed for sale.

It is listed as owned by the Isle of Man company Cabbane Limited, which is wholly owned by Barrowman and is run by director Anthony Page - also director of PPE Medpro. The aircraft has been listed for sale by an American plane broker, The Mirror reported.

In response to The Mirror's report, a spokesperson for Mr Barrowman said: “The media’s ridiculous ­obsession with every tiny detail of Michelle and Doug’s personal life continues to reach desperate levels.

"They have both been very successful in business for decades, so if the Daily Mirror plans to write about every asset that they own, might be buying or could be selling, its ­journalists would writing for a very long time.

"This is a futile attempt to distract from Doug Barrowman’s robust ­fightback against the PPE Medpro allegations over the last few weeks.”

It comes after Barrownman claimed his family had been "treated as a punchbag" for the "lamentable failures" by ministers when procuring personal protective equipment (PPE) during the pandemic.

In a statement published by Lady Mone on X, formerly Twitter, on New Year's Day, Barrowman said it "suits the agenda" of the UK Government to "scapegoat" him and his wife for their part in supplying items designed to protect against coronavirus infection through the firm PPE Medpro.

Lady Mone has admitted she lied when she denied having connections to the company, a consortium led by her husband, which was awarded contracts worth more than £200 million to supply gowns and face masks.

The lingerie entrepreneur stands to benefit from its £60 million in profits that have been placed into a trust by her husband.

Mr Barrowman said he and his family have been "treated as a punchbag by the media for the past three years" and have "received death threats and a constant torrent of online and other abuse" as a result of the row.

In his statement of more than 1,000 words published on Monday, Mr Barrowman looked to turn the debate on to what he said were failures by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) during its PPE procurement.

"Michelle and I are being hung out to dry to distract attention from Government incompetence in how it handled PPE procurement at time of national emergency," Mr Barowman said.

"Medpro supplied the Govt with 1.5% of PPE spend (£202 million) against a total of £13.1 billion and yet the media or Government refuses to focus on the other 98.5% of PPE supplied; much of which was defective or never used and/or supplied in identical circumstances to the Medpro contracts."

He branded it "simply unacceptable" that the UK Covid-19 Inquiry is not scheduled to review pandemic PPE procurement until 2025 - after a general election expected to take place this year.

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