A FORMER TV weather presenter has lost her court appeal against an old friend of Prince Harry, following a disagreement surrounding the ownership of a luxury Isle of Wight hotel.
The appeal was an attempt to overturn Howard Spooner’s success at trial last February, which concluded that Sally Johnson had agreed to sell her share of The George Hotel on July 2, 2020.
Mr Spooner won the case to decide control over the luxury Yarmouth hotel, but Mrs Johnson had always denied negotiations took place or that any agreements were reached.
The venture between Mr Spooner and Mrs Johnson began over a pheasant shoot in 2019.
As heard at the original High Court case, a hotel revamp was partly paid for by Mrs Johnson’s millionaire husband, Charles ‘Brook’ Johnson.
It was hoped they could bring in a well-heeled crowd to The George, including 'old rockers', yachtsmen, polo players and 'many powerful Americans'.
The failure of any of these guests materialising was a factor in the breakdown of the business relationship between the pair, the court heard.
The judgement in favour of Mr Spooner, at the appeal hearing on December 9, 2022, will see Mrs Johnson pay a further £120,000 in costs.
For Mr Spooner, Greenwoods Legal LLP, said: “This success on appeal was underpinned by the numerous factual findings the team succeeded in obtaining from the trial judge regarding what was agreed between the parties at a meeting at The George Hotel in July 2020.
“Permission to appeal various factual findings of the trial judge was appropriately refused.”
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